


The Bigger the Adventure, the More Danger that Follows

by keysdimples



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha Kyungsoo, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Barebacking, Casual Sex, Dubious Consent, Feral Behavior, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Omega Verse, Pack Dynamics, Pack Family, Possible Watersports, Pup Sehun, Wolves, fuck everyone, omega jongin, ongoing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-04-30 09:42:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5159063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keysdimples/pseuds/keysdimples
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jongin, an outcast omega. Kyungsoo, an alpha adrift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. I have no idea if the characters will end up one way or another. I unfortunately do not own EXO.

Snow crunched beneath sandy paws as the wolf trekked his way through the forest. Winter held its firm grip on the landscape; rolling hills and green pastures disappeared under the thick blanket of powder and ice. Warm clouds billowed forth as the wolf breathed, mostly in low pants, short huffs, and snuffles, his piercing, intelligent eyes took in his surroundings. The weak excuse for a sun was setting faster than he'd anticipated, and he needed to find a suitable place for a den before night fell completely. Already, he could sense the local wildlife was settling; nevertheless, the wolf kept going.

It wasn't until the dim blue hues of twilight coated the air that he spotted a rock outcrop jutting out of the mountain; that would have to do. While grabbing a fallen tree branch with his powerful jaws, the wolf backed into the cave, successful blocking the entrance from potential intruders. He found a spot in the back of the cave and sat on his haunches after shaking out his coat near the mouth. Next came a series of noises that would be disturbing if anyone were listening: bones cracking, flesh tearing, and low growls turned whines. There was a shift in the air, and where the large wolf once sat, was a young man. Rolling his shoulders with one last crack, he brushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes and spoke in a low, gruff voice, "This is going to be a long winter."

\------------------------------

The leaves were just starting to turn orange the day Jongin's first heat arrives. He knew the moment he felt the slow itch burn in the pit of his stomach, and he was apprehensive as he felt it grow as the day went on. After today, he'd no longer be a scentless, rankles pup. After today, he'd learn what he'd been born to be.

Jongin remembered the lessons all adolescent pups were taught, that the first heat was crucial, but simple. A wolf would either take a knot or give a knot. If they took one, they'd become and omega, if they gave one, an alpha. If a wolf did nothing and suffered through the heat, they'd become a beta. Because of this, it was technically possible to manipulate what one's rank would be, granted they'd have to be lucid enough to make a decision while in heat. The heat sank its claws into a wolf, making him powerless against the pull of nature. The first heat allowed a whirlwind of uncontrollable instincts to swirl just beneath the skin, to be panting to mount, and keening for a knot, all at the same time. 

The heat scared Jongin when he thought about it.

His best friend, Taemin, was quick to reassure him that day. It was nearing noon, and Jongin was already extremely uncomfortable, shedding his normal soft deerskin loincloth in favor of laying prostrate on the cool soil beneath the large oak tree. He'd already begun to shallowly pant, but he was still able to think and talk, so his friend was still around for the moment.

"Stop worrying, it's all a run in the woods from here," Taemin said as he patted Jongin's shoulder in what he supposed was a comforting way, but all it did was make his hackles raise and skin prickle with a spike of heat and arousal. He hissed low in his throat, and the elder withdrew his touch with an upward quirk of his lips. "Once you can't think, just make a beeline for that omega with round eyes, what was his name, Minho, right. Just mount that sweet ass and, badda bing badda boom, you're an alpha. Golden." Taemin continued with a satisfied grin.

Jongin turned his head so he could glance up at his friend, pressing his cheek into the cool ground, resisting with all his strength to keep from rutting into the dirt like he so wanted to, "It's not that easy, you jerk. I won't have the prime of the litter handed to me like you did." his tone might have been a bit too bitter than he'd planned, but made no move to apologize.

Taemin snorted, leaning back against the tree trunk, extending his strong long legs, powerful thighs half hidden under a fine beaver pelt, its fur shiny from brushing and fragrant oils. Jongin was beginning to hate whoever made that scent because it was burning into his nostrils, "Okay, yeah, you got me. Being the head alpha's son does have its perks. You seem to forget that I still had to chase down Jonghyun. It's part of it all. That chase." he explained. Taemin and Jonghyun had been betrothed since the young alpha had been born, the slightly older omega to remain untouched until he matured. They'd only recently completed their mating ceremony, and still glowed with the after effects of a newly formed bond.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Min, I'm not stupid." Jongin made to get up, pushing up with his hands, choking on a breath when his erection hung heavy between his legs. He hadn't been able to feel just how riled up he was from the pressure of his body pressing it into the ground, and now that it was free, he couldn't hold back a low whine from bubbling in the back of his throat.

All traces of their banter were erased, and anticipation hung thick in the air. There was a movement so quick, even Jongin's heightened, but still fuzzy wolf vision couldn't follow it, and he choked back another gasp when suddenly Taemin was right there, and his hot breath was fanning over his face.

The alpha's eyes were burning bright, and it made Jongin shiver, reaching up to grip Taemin's biceps almost too tightly. Taemin moved, and all Jongin could do was keep still as he felt him nose up against his neck and inhale slowly and audibly. 

Taemin growled.

Jongin gulped. "T...Taemin, I-I think you should--"

"I could smell you. This entire week. Through the whole damn camp, I could smell you." and then there were arms around Jongin's waist, hands pressing hard into his lower back and Lord Almighty, he'd lost the ability to think straight.

His thoughts were quickly clouding over, and the heat was bubbling, bubbling, almost to a boil. Jongin whimpered, "Y-You have a mate, Taemin, p-please...ah!" his protest was cut off by a thick tongue lapping at his neck, and his body had no choice to respond. His legs fell open, and he bore his neck, gripping Taemin's biceps harder, digging his nails into the tanned flesh.

Taemin dragged his teeth across Jongin's skin, earning violent shivers and halfhearted pleas, "Gonna knot you..." he muttered gruffly, pushing Jongin back onto the ground, face first, "...make you my concubine..." Jongin yelped when he felt a hot erection press into the cleft between his ass cheeks, uttering a soft sob of pleasure when he felt Taemin start to rut animalistically with only one goal in mind: to claim, to possess, to dominate. "...make you heavy with my pups..."

Jongin screamed when the first penetration came, unforgiving, unwilling to stop or slow down. His nails were caked with dirt as he clawed at the ground, feeling torn between his wolf and himself. His wolf howled and preened at the privilege to be mounted by an alpha, at the same time, Jongin was in such pain, grateful for his body's natural lubrication at the very least. Taemin was so far gone, his knot had already formed. Growling low in his chest, the alpha pressed a hand on the middle of Jongin's back and pushed him until he was laying completely down on the ground, only then did he fold himself over the now omega, huffing in his ear as he forced the knot inside. Jongin only responded with a whimpering grunt, gnashing his teeth and panting hard, howling as the dirty act continued.

The alpha was unrelenting, keeping his claim over Jongin until the sun was close to setting. Somewhere in the midst of passion and pain, Jongin might have lost consciousness, but he might have simply let himself go into the mercy of the heat. Taemin was lazily pumping into Jongin's swollen, used hole when they were interrupted.

There was a shuffling of many paws, and the couple didn't notice until a growl loud and low enough to vibrate their bones echoed around them. Jongin, even in his state, took one whiff of the air, and immediately stiffened, whipping his head towards the sound.

There, powerful and gigantic, was the head alpha.

Taemin's father.

Said young alpha was frozen was well, staring wide eyed at his father and the wolf at his side, his mother, the head omega. Taemin tried to bolt, but his knot prevented him from getting too far, yelping when his attempt to run away caused it to yank painfully. Jongin made a similar noise, feeling tears spring to his eyes.

"Father... Mother..." Taemin said, tone awkward, and even a bit guilty.

The two wolves simply stared hard at their son, ignoring Jongin altogether. He wasn't sure if he was happy or not about that.

Jongin gulped thickly and pushed up on his hands, raising his torso a bit, "A-Alpha, sir, it's my fault, I--"

"Silence! Not another word out of you, omega!" the old alpha snarled, his upper lip curling to show his sharp teeth. Jongin shivered and swallowed a whine, immediately dipping his head, cheeks burning, staring at the ground.

Taemin bristled, unused to hearing his father speak that way, especially to Jongin, his surrogate brother, "Father! Calm down, it's not--"

"I will not calm down as I watch my son be corrupted by a low-born harlot!" his father boomed loud enough to scare the birds from the trees, flapping their wings and squawking.

Taemin's mother, who had yet to say anything, stepped over and gave his husband's maw a lick of warning, "Jinki. You mustn't alert the pack. Think of our reputation."

This seemed to work, but it didn't make Jinki any less livid. His huge paws padded at the ground as he stepped closer, huffing quietly with rage.

Jongin was still shocked by the alpha's accusation, his mouth even hanging open. He glanced up at Taemin, eyes frightened, but mostly hurt and guilty. His friend just looked apologetic, but withdrew, his features stony.

"Kibum. Get back to camp and pack a satchel with the essentials. As soon as they're untied, I'm banishing that thing." Jinki barked. The head omega was gone instantly, a flash of fur the only indication that he'd been there in the first place.

Taemin gasped, a growl building in his chest, "Father, you can't! How could you? You took in Jongin as a pup, raised him! Would you banish your own son?" his teeth grew sharper as his anger grew. Jongin simply shook beneath him, swallowing hard as he tried to keep his tears at bay. He wouldn't let himself cry in front of the head alpha. He wouldn't.

Jinki's growl was louder, and held more authority than his son's, "He is not my son. You are, and if you had any sense in that big head of yours, you'd understand that this is the best thing to do in such a situation as this. Are you so quick to forget your perfectly willing mate back at camp? To whom you've mated with just last week!?" Jinki's voice grew with every measured word, and it was enough to make even headstrong Taemin cower back.

This didn't stop him, however, because he huffed and swallowed, working his jaw defiantly, "No, I have not. I was planning on making Jongin my concubine when I became alpha."

This made Jinki's rage boil over, and he growled menacingly, "YOU ARE NOT ALPHA YET!" he all but screamed. By now, Jongin's resolve had slipped, and he was quietly crying openly, covering his face with his hands. The look on Taemin's face was one the old alpha would never forget. It was a mixture of betrayal, hatred, and guilt. Red faced, Taemin looked down, nostrils flaring as he fought to calm down, ego more than bruised.

Just then, Kibum returned, a medium sized pack poised delicately between his teeth. He put it down and pushed it towards the crying omega, but not without giving Jongin a warm lick to his cheek. The omega gasped, looking up into warm, apologetic eyes. He sobbed quietly and nodded, closing his eyes. He wouldn't fight it. He couldn't.

Jinki allowed the exchange, he himself knowing he had to keep up the strong, firm face as head alpha. Any other alpha would have killed Jongin, but he wouldn't let that happen. The best thing he could do was banish the omega from the pack. Their territory wasn't large; hopefully Jongin would be taken in soon.

"This is they way it must be. If the pack, and others hear about my son being frivolous outside of his mating bond, our reputation as a whole would be ruined. Packs would see me as a careless alpha, and wouldn't hesitate to attack and try and overpower us. This must be the way. Please understand." Jinki's tone was much calmer now, but it still held the firmness of an order. 

Face hidden by fringe, Taemin nodded silently. All the stress of the situation had caused the burn of heat to fizzle in his stomach, and his knot had deflated. Wordlessly, he pulled out, Jongin covering a whimper with his hand. Helping the omega to sit up, Taemin cupped his face, wiping away tears, leaning in to lick away the salt left behind, "I'm sorry..." he whispered. Jongin shook his head and threw his arms around his best friend, squeezing him for dear life.

The head alpha and head omega watched silently, knowing this would be the last time they'd see each other.

Before he lost his nerve, Jongin wiped his nose and shut his eyes, clenching his teeth as he called forth the transformation. He was still young, so the change hurt more than it should, but he bit his tongue and kept silent. Dark eyes were trained on Taemin's, even as they turned into muted golden ones. A soft whine left the sandy wolf's throat once he finished.

Turning to the satchel, Jongin picked it up and wiggled into the strap until it was securely around his midsection. He looked sadly at Taemin before turning to Kibum. Leaning up, he gave a short lick to his neck in respect, a silent thanks for everything. Everything. Reaching Jinki, Jongin bowed his head and leaned up to lick under the alpha's chin, nuzzling there for a moment because even now, he'd been the only father Jongin ever knew. Turning back to Taemin, he licked the boy's cheek.

Taemin wrapped his arms around the wolf, nuzzling into his ear, voice thick with sadness as he whispered into his ear, "See you again. Someday..."

Jongin didn't answer. He couldn't. 

In a blink of an eye, he was gone, taking off into the woods like a furry bullet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: frottage (more like grinding), graphic descriptions, casual sexual activities (including fellatio), mentions of watersports, feral behavior

There was heavy breathing in his ear, hot and clammy, when Kyungsoo woke up. He tried to move, but found himself pinned to his furs face down, kept there by a heavy body bearing down on him. The unmistakable feeling of a thick erection sliding through his ass cheeks had the alpha letting out a low, almost inaudible growl that bubbled from the back of his throat. The body didn't even pause, and only seemed to get more frantic.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes.

"Chanyeol, get the fuck off of me, I'm not in the mood." he snarled at the beta that was in the middle of dry humping his ass without any sense of shame. He seemed to make it a habit to sneak into the alpha tent and give Kyungsoo a surprise every morning. Usually it was with acceptable gestures of submission like little licks and smooches, and the alpha within him would preen at the attention, even if Chanyeol was only a beta. Kyungsoo would coddle him in return, rubbing his scent over him just for the satisfaction, eventually exchanging fellatio and, on some days, if the alpha was feeling generous, a thorough fucking.

This kind of behavior, however, was not even remotely near acceptable. Not with Kyungsoo anyway. The other alphas didn't mind a little nice anal stimulation from time to time, but not Kyungsoo. He rarely received, and when he did, it was definitely not from a beta.

Kyungsoo looked over his shoulder to see Chanyeol grinning when a strategic snap of the hips had the alpha make a strangled noise.

"Oh yeah? That's not what you said last night~" the beta's tone was triumphant and incredibly abrasive to Kyungsoo's ears, and he closed his eyes with irritation.

It was too early for this.

Growl growing within his chest, the alpha pushed himself up to try and buck Chanyeol off him, resulting in him getting his his hands and knees, and that only gave the beta a better angle, "I swear to fucking FUCK Park Chanyeol, I will drag you out to the eating circle and choke you with my knot until you vomit in front of everyone, do you understand, now GET. OFF." Kyungsoo lashed out at the beta's thigh, digging his nails into supple flesh, smirking with satisfaction when that seemed to work, the beta yelping and scrambling off, falling back on his ass.

"Don't have to be so mean, Kyung." Chanyeol was pouting, and the alpha swore to every deity that he did not need this so early in the morning.

Jongdae, one of the fellow unmated alphas who slept nearby, yawned from his pile of furs, blinking his eyes open. "What's going on?" his voice was husky, thick with sleep and slightly lower than normal.

Chanyeol perked up at the sound, and he turned his pout towards the other alpha, cranking up the puppy eyes tenfold, "Kyungsoo is being mean. He scratched me! I was only trying to get rid of this." he pointed to his erection standing proud between his legs along with the still bleeding scratch mark on his thigh.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes again when Jongdae, of course, fell for it, and sent him an accusatory glare. "Soo, look at him. We're supposed to take care of our pack, not attack them." the alpha sat up and crooked a finger in the beta's direction, "Don't listen to him, sweet-pea, Kyungsoo is an asshole. Come here, I'll take good care of you~" he crooned in a way that had Kyungsoo gagging.

With a small whine, Chanyeol scampered over and plopped his over sized body right onto Jongdae's lap, curling against his chest and nuzzling his neck, lapping at it eagerly. Kyungsoo could have sworn he heard the beta sniffle a few times.

"You're such a pushover, Jong, you know he likes to lay it on thick." he muttered, rolling over to stand up, shaking out his messy hair.

Jongdae growled halfheartedly, already palming Chanyeol's erection, carding his fingers through the beta's hair at the same time, "Fuck off, Soo. Just be glad I don't feel like telling Minseok about this, you know he doesn't approve of your bitch fits." he turned and murmured in the beta's ear, coddling him efficiently to meet the needy male. Chanyeol giggled, letting the alpha lie him back so he could lick his wound, and possibly more places after that.

Rolling his eyes again, Kyungsoo ignored that last remark and shuffled out of the tent, passing a snoring Tao, wondering how in the world the youngest alpha managed to sleep through everything all the time.

Brown leaves crunched beneath the alpha's feet as he stepped out of the tent, the air still chilly, but not quite cold enough to be uncomfortable. Kyungsoo went forward to the fire pit in the middle of the semicircle of tents, squatting and taking a stick to poke at the smoking embers a few times. He'd build up the fire again, but not until he answered the call of his full bladder.

He'd just found a tree about a hundred yards from camp, when a hand reached around and took a hold of his shaft from under his loincloth. Jolting with surprise, Kyungsoo growled and whipped his head towards whoever it was, only quieting when he saw Joonmyun, just back from early morning patrol, smirking widely, over his shoulder.

Grabbing the beta's hand, the alpha snarled, "Let go of me, hyung, I gotta take a leak." his eyes flashed murderously, but the elder wolf wasn't phased, and only stepped closer so his front was pressed against Kyungsoo's back.

"I'm not stopping you, go ahead." the beta's breath came in warm puffs against the back of Kyungsoo's neck, and that made his bad attitude grow worse, even if Joonmyun was slowly pumping his cock to life.

"Gross, hyung. Like I told Chanyeol right before kicking him off of me: I'm not in the mood." Kyungsoo's tone was low with warning, slightly raspy with a growl.

Joonmyun made a face, pausing in his movements, but not letting go of the alpha's erection, "But that's Chanyeol. The little shit is relentless. Come on~ How long has it been, hm?" the beta appealed to the alpha's dominant nature by crooning and licking along Kyungsoo's skin, kissing along his shoulder slowly.

Kyungsoo closed his eyes and took a slow, deep inhale before answering this time, "You know I appreciate our time together, hyung, but please. Not right now, okay? I can't." his voice was softer now, adn he turned to face the waiting beta, reaching up to stroke his cheeks a few times, rumbling softly when Joonmyun leaned into the touches.

Huffing quietly, the beta nodded, offering a small smile before leaning in and capturing the alpha's lips in a deep, sensuous kiss, pulling away after a moment, clinging to Kyungsoo's smaller, yet stronger body, "Okay... but... can you...? Please?" Joonmyun tugged on Kyungsoo's cock once more.

Shaking his head, Kyungsoo stifled a chuckle, "I'm not marking you with my piss, Joonmyun, it's not even noon yet. Go back to camp and start breakfast. You'll probably get some love from Minseok if you let Baekhyun sleep in." he patted the beta's ass in the direction of their camp before he walked away.

After finally emptying his bladder, Kyungsoo went on a run. At his age, the change was swift and almost painless. His wolf was the projection of his innermost self: strong, powerful, brave, and cunning. Black as night, he had a long, shiny coat, thickening because of oncoming winter. Paws the size of dinner plates padded silently on the forest floor, made for stealth and remaining undetected by his prey. Speaking of prey, bright, amber eyes caught faraway movement. Ears pricking upwards and forwards, Kyungsoo sniffed the air, exhaling in puffs. 

Deer.

In a flash, the black wolf was off, weaving through the trees, quiet as the breeze, closing the distance between himself and the herd of deer. Careful to stop upwind, Kyungso crouched in the underbrush just inside the treeline, stalking the herd, scoping out his target. Deciding on a young buck lingering on the outskirts, the wolf tensed, preparing to pounce.

There must have been a shift in the wind, because right then, something alerted the herd, and they took off running. With a frustrated huff, Kyungsoo shot forward, chasing after his target deer. They covered a lot of ground before the alpha gave one last powerful push forward, and sprang at the buck, claws digging into its flank, effectively taking it to the ground. Keeping the deer pinned, Kyungsoo quickly clamped his jaws in the buck's neck, severing the jugular. He kept biting until the buck stopped moving, only then did he pull back.

Licking the blood from his muzzle, Kyungsoo huffed in satisfaction was he looked down at his kill. This would be a good amount of meat for the pack.

The pack. 

Looking around, Kyungsoo got his bearings, and knew he was at least a few miles away. Looking down at the buck, the alpha was beginning to wish he'd chosen a smaller target. It was going to be annoying to drag the carcass all the way back to camp. It's a good thing Kyungsoo was part of a pack, he realized. Lifting his head, he let out a loud low howl, asking for assistance. It took a few long moments, but Kyungsoo eventually heard Joonmyun's howl of response, and the wolf knew someone would arrive soon.

Sure enough, not ten minutes later, Kyungsoo's ears perked to the sound of someone crashing through the underbrush. Standing up, the alpha raised his tail upright and alert, staring at the direction the sounds were coming from. Staring. Staring. 

And then.

A bundle of red, yowling fur tumbled forward, rolling until it landed at Kyungsoo's feet. Looking up at him, tongue lolling from his dopey smile, was Sehun, the pack's pup.

Figures.

Kyungsoo asked for help, and all he got was the pup. Great.

Huffing, the alpha inwardly rolled his eyes, begrugingly leaning down to nuzzle Sehun affectionately, giving his maw a wet, sloppy lick, because who was he kidding, it's impossible for a wolf to dislike a pup, no matter how annoying he got sometimes. 

Whining, Sehun rolled back and sprang to his feet, prancing around Kyungsoo and the deer in circles, "Whoa! You got this all by yourself? With no help? Hyung, you're so cool! I want to hunt like you some day!" the pup barked excitedly, tail wagging a mile a minute, and Kyungsoo didn't know why he hadn't taken off into the air yet.

Nodding in approval, Kyungsoo gave Sehun a nip under the jaw, "Focus, pup. We have an important job to do. Do you know what that is?"

Sehun's ears flickered, and he gave a yowling whine, "We're taking the kill back to camp!" he looked at the dead buck, bright eyes taking in the carcass, seeing the fresh blood. His long, thin legs were trembling from the effort to keep himself from eating right away. Man, that deer smelled good.

"That's right. Now, we have to balance the buck over our backs, and walk back together. Do you understand? We have to stay together, or else it'll fall and get dirty." Kyungsoo explained as he crouched down near the middle of the buck's belly.

Sehun took his spot right beside the alpha, panting excitedly, "Yes, hyung, stay together!"

It took some patience, but the two wolves manages to wiggle underneath the carcass until it was draped nicely over their backs. Kyungsoo kept a close eye on Sehun as they walked back, quick to reign in his innocent curiosity and bring him back to the task at hand. When they arrived back at camp, everyone was congregated around the fire, seated on beautifully woven mats that had cushions and furs on top for maximum comfort. That's where the pack slept in the summertime, when it was too hot for enclosed spaces like their tents.

Dumping the kill in the designated area, Kyungsoo barely turned around before Sehun was already gone, having bolted back towards the pack, vibrating with excitement, not caring that he was still covered in blood.

"Kyungsoo hyung got that buck all by himself! Did you see how big it was? I helped carry it all the way back!" Sehun had changed back into his human form, a wily teenager who was all limbs and joints, and he was in the middle of tugging at Baekhyun's tunic. The head omega was bustling around, filling pack member's bowls with a thick broth while Joonmyun was protesting in vain behind him. Looks like despite the beta's best intentions, the head omega was simply too stubborn to let anyone else handle breakfast.

Baekhyun handed Jongdae a newly filled bowl before turning to the excited pup, ruffling his hair, "I saw! You did a great job, sweetheart. You're all messy now, though, messy messy pup. Run along to the river and wash up, no breakfast for messy pups."

Sehun immediately frowned, and he began to whine, "But it's coooold! Mama, I'll freeze! Mama, do you want me to die?!" the pup's voice had risen to a distressed shriek, and his eyes were unmistakably watery.

Baekhyun put down the ladle he'd been using and crossed his arms, staring at the pup for a moment before his resolve cracked, "No, baby, Mama doesn't want you to die." he pulled the gangly pup into his arms and kissed his cheek loudly, leaving a wet spot, "Maybe Papa will give you a bath. Go see. But if he says no, then it's the river, got that?" the omega patted Sehun's rump, and the pup seemed satisfied, smiling brightly as he turned and strutted away in search of Minseok.

Chanyeol, who was in the middle of reaching into the pot for more broth, clicked his tongue, "That pup's so spoiled, he's completely rotten. You know his heat will come eventually, you can't coddle him forever." 

Slapping the beta's hand away, Baekhyun glared at Chanyeol, "I can and I will. You know how close he was to death when he found him, he needs all the love he can get."

The beta wrinkled his nose as he looked over at the pack's alpha who was, sure enough, giving a very satisfied looking Sehun a tongue bath. "Okay, whatever, he's your kid, old hag."

At that, Baekhyun screeched, and brandished the ladle at Chanyeol's head, missing, however, when the beta ducked behind Jongdae, who was peacefully eating his soup. The alpha gave the beta a short pat before turning back to his meal. "Why do you have to insist on getting a rise out of everyone, Chan? Just chill for a sec, will you?"

Chanyeol deflated at Jongdae's comment, and he huffed, standing up and collecting his dish, muttering to himself as he left the fire circle. He passed Kyungsoo, who was just arriving after washing off in the river, hair still wet. The alpha blinked at the beta's unusually stormy expression, but Chanyeol had already brushed past him before he could say anything.

"What's with him?" Kyungsoo asked as he took the bowl handed to him from Baekhyun, sending the omega a soft croon of thanks before shuffling over to his spot on Tao's right, giving the younger alpha's hair a stroke as he sat down.

"Jong made an observation about Chanyeol's need to butt into everything, and I guess he took it personally." came a response to Kyungsoo's right. Turning, he saw Joonmyun lounging against a large cushion, licking his spoon while Yixing, the pack's remaining beta, was licking his cock. The alpha didn't even blink at the blatant sexual act. It was normal for their pack. As long as mate bonds were respected, anyone could find release with anyone. It promoted trust and closeness, and got rid of turf wars. The only thing required was consent by both or all parties.

Tao snickered, making Kyungsoo turn back to him, "It's more than that, I think. If anyone else had said what Jongdae hyung had said, Chanyeol wouldn't have batted an eye."

Jongdae laughed from his spot across the circle, "Yeah right. He'd have been devastated if Soo had said it. Right Soo?" he sent Kyungsoo a pointed look, and said alpha shifted in his seat.

"What's this?" came Minseok's smooth, yet authoritative voice from the head of the circle. He was seated against a large mound of cushions, Baekhyun tucked against his side and a sleeping Sehun's head on his thigh. 

"Soo was being a bitch this morning and attacked Chanyeol, who was only looking for some comfort." Jongdae replied before Kyungsoo could answer. 

He bristled, "It's not like tha--"

"You attacked a pack member? Kyungsoo. Is this true?" Minseok's gaze was hard, and Kyungsoo suddenly felt very tiny.

Swallowing, Kyungsoo stared into his bowl.

"Answer me, Kyungsoo."

Gritting his teeth, Kyungsoo set his jaw, gripping his bowl tightly, "He didn't stop after I warned him twice, so I gave him a little scratch on his thigh, that's all. It didn't even bleed a lot, it was just a scratch."

Minseok pursed his lips, "Nevertheless, Kyungsoo, you know the strict rules of our pack. We are a family, and we help each other when we are in need, do you understand? Because I don't think you do."

Kyungsoo bit his lower lip and took a breath, "I do understand, Alpha. It won't happen again." his voice was quiet as he bowed his head.

Minseok nodded and leaned back into the cushions, "You're on patrol for the rest of the day and all night. Now go."

Obediently, Kyungsoo stood with his bowl and left the fire circle, leaving it with the rest of the dishes to be done. He debated going out to patrol immediately, but something was holding him back. Heaving a big sigh, he whirled around from where he was heading into the forest, and returned back to camp. 

Reaching the beta tent, Kyungsoo stood outside for a long time, gathering himself before he tugged aside the flap and stepped inside.

"Chanyeol?"


	3. Chapter 3

The air was filled with howls. The howling wind, the howls of foreign wolf packs, the sound carried by said howling wind, and the howling pain in Jongin's side. He should have listened to his intuition. He could have gone a few more days without food. It was stupid, naive, and guileless of him to think that he, though a wolf, could get away with trying to drag away the bones of a latest coyote kill. 

Coyotes.

Filthy creatures.

Savage. Unhygienic. Highly territorial. Jongin knew all that. What he'd forgotten was their bloodlust, unrivaled by even the most aggressive of alphas. Coyotes were the parasites of the canine species, having never evolved further into any kind of werecreature. But what they lacked in intelligence, they compensated for in their will to survive. When a pack wasn't there to keep them in check, the coyotes flourished until they infested whatever area they'd staked a claim over. Game populations dwindled until there was nothing left, and the entire ecosystem was knocked off balance.

In short, coyotes were a deadly virus that took and took and took, and never gave back.

And Jongin, through the blinding blizzards, had wandered right in the middle of their territory.

The small cave he'd found was shelter from the wind and snow, but his small amount of reserves that Kibum had given him months before, when he'd been first banished, were all gone now. Winter had set in, and the omega had no source of food. There weren't even any bats in his small cave for him to catch for a mouthful. 

Jongin had a feeling he'd be in this cave for a while, so he had to explore the area. Venturing out into the cold wasn't something he'd like to do, but there was no other choice.

 

Everything seemed muffled with a blanket of snow covering it. Ever sound was quieter, subtler, took more concentration to pick up. Jongin tuned out the sound of his paws crunching in the snow as he slowly made his way to the west of his cave. The sun was out, illuminating the sleeping forest, and it was quite peaceful.

A white snow rabbit emerged from her burrow, little pink nose twitching as she scanned the immediate area for any danger. Finding none, she hopped out further. Spotting her, Jongin froze. Back at his old pack, he'd never been permitted to hunt, he was still just a pup without a rank, and he'd been banished the day he'd gotten his. Not that it would have mattered anyway; omegas were not allowed to hunt, at least with others. They provided too much of a distraction for other wolves, and it was just best to leave them at camp where they could prove more useful.

Crouching down, Jongin focused on the rabbit, staring intently at her. He took in her scent, smelling that she was calm, unsuspecting. Quietly, albeit awkwardly, the omega crept forward on his front paws, back end poised in the air, like a cat ready to pounce. It shouldn't be too hard, he thought to himself, just like he used to play with Taemin all the time, only he'd use his claws and teeth. Simple. Right?

Jongin crept forward a bit more until he gauged it was as close as he was going to get before the rabbit figured him out. Launching forward with a growl, he ran towards the rabbit, but the rabbit heard him, and she took off like a bullet in the trees. Growling again, Jongin made chase, using his nose as a guide, because there was no way he could see her with his eyes with her moving so fast and the same color as the snow.

This rabbit was fast, but Jongin was faster. So close, he was so close. She made a sudden hard left turn that sent Jongin skidding out of control into a nearby tree, the impact knocking the wind out of him. Quick to recover, he ran forward, through a break in the trees and stopped short.

Standing there, jaws around the broken neck of the rabbit, his rabbit, blood staining her shiny coat and dripping down into the snow, was a coyote.

Even as an omega, Jongin was larger than the coyote, so he was confident. Growling, he stepped forward, showing his teeth. He didn't need words to make it clear that the coyote had just stolen his rabbit, and that he should give up his kill. The coyote snarled in return, chomping harder on the rabbit, a high pitched crunch sounding as her tiny bones cracked from the force.

Outraged, Jongin lunged at the coyote, going for his throat, but the coyote was faster. Dropping the rabbit, he managed to turn his teeth towards Jongin just in time before they tumbled to the ground together. It was a pretty even fight, each beast driven by rage and hunger, willing to fight hard for even a few bites of meat. A well placed bite on Jongin's part made the coyote yelp loudly, and it was then that three more coyotes broke into the clearing, teeth bared, drooling maliciously as they closed in around the wolf. Their fight hadn't been quiet, so the coyote's reinforcements had most likely heard them and came to the rescue.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, Jongin gave a loud growl of anger before he reluctantly backed off. Glaring hard at the creatures, he backed away, watching from the bushes as the coyote got up and retrieved the rabbit before running off with the rest of them in the opposite direction.

Jongin was stubborn; he wasn't about to just let things lie. So he followed them.

Keeping a safe distance, he followed the coyotes back to their den, or, sorry excuse for one. Their "den" was only a shallow depression in the ground, with no overhead covering from the elements. Their pack dynamics proved to be just as poor. There seemed to be no organization, with a weak pecking order that constantly got undermined. The original coyote who'd gotten the rabbit brought it to the center, where the rest crowded around it. That's when hell was set loose. The coyotes had no sense of sharing or companionship, and it was clear to Jongin that the only reason they'd even helped the coyote in the first place was the promise of food, because now they were fighting amongst themselves.

A smaller coyote was smart enough to drag the rabbit away from the fight and start eating, but the rest figured it out quickly. The largest bit down on the smallest's leg, sending him howling away. The largest then finally managed to scare some order into the rest, only allowing them to take a piece after he'd had his fill. When they were finally done, there was nothing left but bones, they'd even eaten the entrails. It took Jongin some effort to not gag at the sight.

Jongin waited until it was dusk, and the coyotes were all asleep. Seeing his chance, he quietly went forward, making a beeline for what was left of the rabbit. He knew he was acting crazy, but he was just so hungry. Even just licking the blood from the bones and chewing on the marrow would be enough. 

He was almost to the carcass, when the largest coyote rolled over in his sleep, and Jongin froze. When it seemed like he wasn't moving again, the wolf went forward and closed his mouth around the rabbit. He was home free. All he had to do was make it out without a hitch. 

The coyotes didn't move an inch as Jongin left, and the wolf felt smug, proud of himself for accomplishing something so dangerous. When it was safe, Jongin ran all the way back to his cave. 

Victory never tasted so good.

 

Jongin woke up to the sound of footsteps. Running footsteps. Jolting upright, he phased into his wolf, taking up a defensive stance. Just in time, because a split second later, coyotes were invading his cave. In a wave of fur and raging teeth, they descended upon the wolf. In the back of his mind, Jongin remembered, in vain, that he'd left a blood trail from the rabbit carcass. He'd lead the coyotes right where he was sleeping. 

Snapping his jaws, Jongin tasted copper as he sank his teeth into the flank of a coyote on his left. He shook the body like a rag doll, tearing a large chunk of flesh from the coyote. Spitting it out, he spun around, howling when claws raked down his snout. Blood sprayed and flew everywhere, making the smooth stone slick with gore.

Jongin was holding his own, but that didn't change the fact that he was still outnumbered. Whenever he attacked, it left his vulnerable side to be attacked back, and that's what happened every time. An especially vicious swipe of the largest coyote's claws in his side sent Jongin to the ground, skull hitting the rock with sickening crack. Vision tunneling, all Jongin could process was howling. The wind. The wolves. The pain.

And then, everything went black.

 

"... help me get..."

 

"... losing too much blood..."

 

"... gonna be okay buddy..."

 

"... don't know... omega..."

 

Soft, warm hands were what Jongin first felt when he regained consciousness. Gentle hands. Caring hands. Healing hands. Motherly hands. Safe hands. The hands pressed a damp cloth to the omega's forehead, pausing to stroke his hair for a moment before moving away. Jongin whined instinctively. Where did those hands go? A soft gasp filled the omega's ears, and the hands returned, cupping his face. Jongin smiled, sighing as he did so.

"Are you waking up, little omega?" a warm, resounding voice murmured from somewhere above Jongin, thumbs tracing over his cheekbones, "Try to open your eyes, sweetie. Can you do that for me?"

Jongin reached up, wanting to hold one of those hands, but the movement sent a sharp, stabbing pain through his body, and he whined.

"Shhh, it's okay. Oh, I know it hurts, baby, but please, open your eyes."

The voice, and those hands were so soothing, that it didn't take long for Jongin to relax again, and he gulped thickly. His eyelids felt heavy, like they were coated with glue, as he opened them slowly. Jongin was grateful that the lighting was dim, wherever he was, because he felt so weak, and bright light would have made him feel worse. 

"That's it, sweetheart." Jongin moved his eyes towards the voice, seeing a stranger looking down at him. He looked very handsome, his face all sharp lines and angles, with a strong brow, and he would have looked frightening to Jongin, but his eyes were, like his hands and his voice, soft and warm. A flare of his nostrils told Jongin that this man was an omega.

"Can you speak? What's your name, little one?" the stranger asked, his small mouth upturned in an encouraging smile.

Jongin swallowed again, wincing a bit, his throat felt like sandpaper, "J...Jongin..." he croaked before having a coughing fit.

Each time he coughed, it sent pain through his body, and tears sprang to his eyes as he tried to stop coughing, but it was like a chain reaction. He whimpered whenever he had a breath, gasping for air.

Alarmed, the stranger carefully brought Jongin into a sitting position and lifted a wooden bowl to his lips. Cool water soothed his burning throat, and he calmed down. The stranger rubbed his upper back in soothing circles, "There you go, baby. Good, drink it all." when the bowl was empty, he set it aside and stroked Jongin's hair again. He closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. "Jongin is a beautiful name. My name is Yifan." the stranger smiled. "You took quite a bit of damage back there, buddy. Do you remember anything?"

Jongin blinked, only then realizing that he was not in his cold, cramped cave, but a warm, dry tent. Looking around, he saw that he was in a soft bed of furs, quite exquisite ones, recognizing those of bear and fox, and even some beaver. The bed wasn't the only thing in the tent. There was a small trunk on one side, laying open, its contents cluttered, strewn about in a random manner. The tent looked lived in. Jongin was in someone's home. He assumed it was Yifan's.

Swallowing again, Jongin licked his lips, "Coyotes," he began, and Yifan nodded, his smile softening sadly with sympathy, "I was... attacked. They took my... rabbit. I was... so hungry..." he looked down at his lap, noticing that most of his torso and shoulders were covered in thick bandages. He didn't want to know what was hidden under the furs covering his lower half.

Yifan gently took Jongin's hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb, "It's a good thing the boys found you when they did. They said you put up a hell of a fight, but if they hadn't finished off the rest of the coyotes, you'd have died."

Jongin shivered at the thought, and he closed his eyes, swallowing a lump in his throat, "Thank you... you didn't have to... I'm just an omega all alone..." he coughed again, and Yifan rubbed his back again, making no comment.

"I'll go get you some more water." he said, leaning over to kiss Jongin's forehead before standing up. Watching him leave, Jongin caught a glimpse of a fire, and a circle of people around it just before the tent lap closed.

He heard shuffling, and a myriad of voices, but he was still too foggy to make out what they were saying. He waited quietly, taking the time to inspect his bandages and try moving each limb, testing his mobility. Nope. Looks like he'd need help getting around for the time being. Jongin sighed. He wasn't healing at a normal rate because he was basically starving, that and because he had no pack, no feeling of safety to allow his body to relax and thoroughly repair itself. Jongin had nobody. The lump in his throat grew larger, and heat pricked behind his eyes. 

The tent flap opened, and Jongin quickly rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes, sniffling quietly. Yifan had returned carrying two bowls this time, followed by another stranger. Jongin curled in on himself warily, eyeing the newcomer for a moment. 

"Jongin, sweetheart, it's okay. This is Minseok, our alpha. He wanted to make sure you're okay." Yifan said as he settled beside Jongin once more.

Jongin should have known. As soon was the words left Yifan's mouth, he felt a surge of power hit him like a wave against the sand, and he choked on a soft whine, bowing his head immediately. Minseok studied him with bright eyes before slowly approaching the bed, settling on the other side of Jongin.

"Thank you, alpha." Jongin whispered as Minseok stretched out his hand, and the omega grasped it, kissing his fingertips in the universal gesture of gratitude towards an alpha. "I'll repay you... I promise, just... name it." he kept his head down as he released the alpha's hand.

Minseok smiled softly, and he lifted the hand to gently ruffled Jongin's hair before he leaned forward and kissed his head, "We're just so glad you're okay, little one." he said, his voice low and timbered, calming Jongin as he peered up at the alpha with round eyes. Minseok gave him a wink, and Jongin flushed, smiling timidly. "Just get healthy, and that's all the payment we need."

Jongin gulped, smitten by Minseok's kindness, and he nodded. What lucky wolves these are to have this one as their alpha. He was so kind and approachable, yet Jongin had a feeling that when necessary, Minseok was powerful and deadly, protecting what was his with a vengeance.

"Thank you..." he said softly one last time. With a smile, Minseok nodded and left the tent.

Turning to Yifan, Jongin was a bit starry eyed, causing the other omega to chuckle, "I feel you, cutie. I was the same way the first time I met Minseok." Yifan's smile was bright as he made Jongin drink another bowl of water, "Luhan was furiously jealous of course, but he was quickly caught in the spell as well." the elder omega's smile softened into one of fondness, and Jongin tilted his head.

"Luhan?"

Yifan nodded with a hum, "My mate. We joined the pack right before winter, so, like you, we're still new."

Jongin blinked, "New?" he didn't understand.

Yifan's eyes sparkled with glee. "Yes, Jongin. Did you think Minseok was just going to throw you out the moment you got better? You're part of the pack now."


	4. Chapter 4

Jongin didn't know what to say. He was both genuinely surprised and utterly grateful that he was so quickly accepted into this pack, but he couldn't help but feel apprehensive about it at the same time. He didn't even know these people. They could be anybody. Savages, abusers, killers even. But looking at Yifan's gentle smile made Jongin's nerves melt away.

He swallowed thickly, his tongue heavy like a slug in his mouth, "I am?" he croaked.

Yifan's eyes sparkled with amusement and something else. Fondness? "Of course. We couldn't just let you die, Jongin. You're an omega, no less."

Jongin felt the weight of his guilt hang heavy on his shoulders, and he looked away, down at his lap. He said nothing. His limbs felt heavy, and a yawn pulled his mouth open.

The elder omega crooned, gently running his fingers through the younger's hair, "Come on. Let's get some food in your belly, hm? You can go back to sleep afterwards, okay?"

Nodding, Jongin rubbed his eyes, obediently opening his mouth whenever a spoon was presented. The light, warm broth felt good as it slid down his throat, and the omega was able to finish the entire bowl before he began listing, almost falling over from his sitting position. Yifan carefully got him to lie back down, covering him securely with another blanket. Jongin sighed; the weight felt good, almost like how his mother--well, surrogate mother--used to cover him with his body when he was still a little pup. The thought made Jongin nostalgic, but he was too sleepy to feel sad about it. He was out within minutes.

 

Outside, Kyungsoo was too busy glowering into the fire to care about their new arrival. He was seated awkwardly, his weight balanced on one hip, a large cushion beneath his rump. It was sore because the night before, Minseok had finally had enough of the alpha's insolent behavior over the past few months, that he'd punished Kyungsoo accordingly. Even though he hated the world right now, he couldn't help but feel a hint of guilt for driving Minseok to such lengths. The head alpha was usually very kind and warm, and hated to 'be the bad guy' as he once said before. But Kyungsoo's attitude was so sour, it was bringing down the whole pack.

After the mild scolding he got for the Chanyeol incident, Kyungsoo mellowed for a few weeks before the dark clouds came back. This time, he'd picked a fight with Jongdae, and the two young alphas were at each other's throats by the time Junmyeon and Tao separated them. A few weeks after that, Kyungsoo refused to give anyone affection, snuffing anyone who approached him, even Junmyeon, who he was pretty fond of.

When Sehun ran back to Minseok in tears because Kyungsoo had snapped at him, it was the last straw. Storming from his tent, the head alpha seized Kyungsoo by the back of the neck and forced him down on the ground with a growl, mounting him forcefully. It was savage. It was aggressive. It was punishment. It wasn't about sex or feelings; it was about dominance. Kyungsoo hated it. He hated how easily his wolf rolled over for his alpha, despite being an alpha himself. But Minseok was so powerful, and Kyungsoo tended to forget that.

With a raw, sore bottom and bruised pride, Kyungsoo had limped into his tent after it was over, cheeks blazing from both shame and hurt, because Minseok hadn't even finished, he was so pissed. "You don't even deserve my knot right now." he'd said before promptly losing his erection and pulling out. It was insulting, and it was supposed to be. Insulting that he couldn't even get his alpha to stay hard.

Kyungsoo hasn't spoken to anyone since then, keeping his eyes down, shoulders hunched. Everyone skirted around him delicately, knowing that he needed a few days to himself to lick his wounds.

Everyone else was milling about, getting their tasks done or relaxing on the large mound of cushions. It was winter, so instead of having an open camp layout, they'd secured thick hides up in the trees so that now it was like a giant tent. Their individual tents--unmated alpha tent, unmated beta tent, Minseok and family, and Luhan and Yifan's tent--had been moved closer together to encase warmth in one place, insulating the area. The tents served as the sides of the giant tent, basically sealing it from the elements. If anyone wanted to go hunting, there was an exit in every tent that led to the outside. On the inside, it was dim, and held a warm glow, the warmth from the fire kept in, and it was quite cozy. There was a lone tent further out that served as the outhouse. They liked to keep things clean. 

Yifan stepped out of his tent, and Kyungsoo glanced over at the omega before turning back to his task of poking the fire. The tall omega and his mate had arrived last month, having traveled from a territory far to the northwest. The couple was well received, and were proving to fit right in. 

"He's asleep." said Yifan as he took the bowls he was carrying over to the washing station. Everyone murmured in response, glad for the update on the little omega. It was Yixing and Junmyeon who had found him originally. They were the ones who finished off the coyotes and brought the dying omega back to the pack. There was a frenzy, and when Jongin hadn't responded for over two days, they were worried he wouldn't make it. Everyone was seriously relieved when they heard he'd woken up. 

Junmyeon spoke up from where he was sharpening a knife on a smooth stone, "Is he okay? When can we see him?" the beta frowned, anxious. No wolf liked to see an omega hurt so. For a long time, Baekhyun was their only omega in their pack, so when Jongin was found, he was embraced into the pack, making their omega count now three.

"After I make him a member, then we will all meet him, I promise." came Minseok's voice, the head alpha was holding his mate in his lap as the omega focused on weaving a basket.

That seemed to satisfy the beta, because he nodded and went back to sharpening his knife.

Yifan dried his hands on his tunic, shuffling over to take a seat beside his mate. Luhan gently nipped the side of the omega's jaw in greeting, and he hummed. "His name is Jongin. That's all he's been able to tell me so far."

All the while, Kyungsoo was quietly listening, though it looked like he wasn't. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about the new pack member. An omega. Named Jongin. Apparently. The alpha had been too busy being an asshole the day Jongin had been brought in, so Kyungsoo had yet to lay eyes on him. Well. No matter. He'd meet the omega when Minseok presented him to the pack.

 

It took two weeks for Jongin to become fully healed, and by then, the young omega was more than a little stir crazy. Yifan had explained to him that since he wasn't an official member of the pack yet, that he couldn't leave the tent. The omega understood this, but he was still bored out of his mind. At least he could look forward to when Yifan visited, sometimes bringing someone else with him. Jongin had met Baekhyun, Junmyeon, Yixing, and Sehun so far. He thought they were all very nice, even allowing Sehun to snuggle up to him, but for the time being, at least until he got to know everyone, he felt the most comfortable with Yifan. There were a few nights when Jongin cried quietly, and the elder omega had silently cradled him close, carding long fingers through his hair and whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Long after the last tear had dried, Jongin remained in Yifan's arms.

A few days after he first woke up, Jongin was more alert, and he quickly noticed the small, barely noticeable swell beneath Yifan's tunic. The next time the elder omega came close, Jongin had reached out towards his belly and stroked it curiously. Yifan flushed before nodding with a gentle smile, impressed that Jongin had even noticed.

Today, Yifan and Baekhyun were in the tent, giving Jongin a bath. The young omega had protested, claiming that he wasn't a pup, but when they began rubbing him down with warm, soft cloths as he sat in the tub of hot water, he was lulled into relaxation, his wolf preening at how he was being pampered.

"Are you ready for tonight, Jongin?" Baekhyun ashed as he scrubbed the calloused bottoms of Jongin's feet, removing the hard dead skin and leaving him pink and baby soft.

Jongin peeled his eyes open slowly, "Tonight? Oh. Uh..." he swallowed. Tonight was when he'd become an official member of the pack. The was why he was getting a bath. Yifan and Baekhyun were preparing him, getting him ready.

Baekhyun chuckled gently, and Yifan paused where he was cutting Jongin's long hair into a better, more flattering style, "You don't have to be nervous, sweetie. All you have to do is accept Minseok and the pack."

"Right..." Jongin wasn't sure what that meant, but he figured he'd find out when the time came.

Climbing out of the bath, the omega was dried off and dressed in soft white fox fur, the pelt circling around his hips, accentuating his assets, yet remaining tastefully modest. Jongin lifted his arms up as Yifan pulled down a short soft top, one that left his midriff showing. Baekhyun was holding a bowl of white paste, and dipped his first three fingers into it, using them to paint swirling lines across Jongin's collarbones, highlighting them. His navel was circled with the paste as well, along with two swirls on the apples of his cheeks. As Jongin was being painted, Yifan was carefully threading some of his hair through beads.

Jongin was patient, and when Yifan and Baekhyun finally stepped back, he opened his eyes. They held matching grins on their faces, and the omega felt a bit wary. "Do I... how do I..."

"Beautiful."

Heart jumping, Jongin whirled to the sound of Minseok's voice, cheeks reddening beneath the white paint, and he gulped, lowering his head, "Th-Thank you, alpha."

The head alpha was standing at the entrance of the tent, smiling warmly, "Are you ready, little one?"

Jongin swallowed again before nodding.

Minseok hummed in approval, "I'll be waiting in my tent." he said before closing the tent flap.

Wide eyed, Jongin turned to Yifan and Baekhyun, feeling panic bubbling up.

The two elder omegas embraced him, "You're okay, baby." Yifan crooned, kissing Jongin's forehead.

"But I... what's going to happen?" Jongin squeaked.

Baekhyun smiled, "Everyone who wasn't born to this pack has done it, you're not alone."

Yifan nodded.

Jongin frowned, licking his lips, "Just tell me."

"In order to become an official pack member, you must accept Minseok's mark. To accept the mark, you must accept his knot."


	5. Chapter 5

To accept Minseok's mark, you must take his knot.

Baekhyun had explained what as going to happen to Jongin as he became part of the pack and accepted the mark. The omega had almost choked on air out of surprise, turning red all at the same time. 

"What?" he'd exclaimed, lips wobbling, face contorted in confusion. "But... but... Mins--Alpha is your mate? I-I mean, I thought he was your mate?? And you let him mount others so easily?" Jongin was completely bewildered, afraid he was crossing the--what he'd learned to be--the sacred boundary, and bond, of mates.

Baekhyun shook his head, a small smile of understanding on his lips, "Our pack is a little different. We're... unorthodox when it comes to mounting and taking care of needs." the head omega explained, smoothing out the furrow between Jongin's brows with the pad of his thumb, "Here, there are no boundaries. If per chance you find yourself with your manhood risen, and you have a need, any fellow packmate is here to take care of you. The only rules Minseok has in place are as such: consent is required, and if a pair is mated, then only the dominant of that pair can impregnate the submissive of that pair."

"It's true, that it was a bit strange to get used to, when we arrived," Yifan added when he caught Jongin looking at his belly in question, "By now, however, it's almost second nature." the tall omega placed a large hand over his womb, "But my pup is Luhan's, through and through,"

That knowledge made Jongin relax a bit, and he looked down at his toes, suddenly overwhelmed by so much new information.

Seeming to sense this, Baekhyun stepped forward and slid a comforting arm around the young omega's waist, nuzzling his cheek, "If it makes you feel better, I'm just fine with it. Minseok is the best person to do this. I wouldn't trust you with anyone else. He knows what he's doing, there will be no pain forced upon you."

Closing his eyes, Jongin made a soft croon in the back of his throat, his wolf momentarily sated by the presence of the wiser omegas. Nodding, he turned and kissed Baekhyun's cheek, "Okay... I... I think I'm ready..."

 

 

Despite verbally announcing his readiness, Jongin was visibly shaking by the time Yifan and Baekhyun had led him out of the tent he'd grown to know, and across to the Alpha's tent. The flap was mostly closed, but slightly ajar, and that alone allowed a haze of thick pheromones to waft out and practically smack Jongin in the nose. He was still so young, barely grown out of a pup, and the strength of the scent hitting him was enough to make his knees buckle and a quiet whine to escape his throat. 

There were eyes boring into his back, other pack members, watching him, and he could feel them. The sound he'd just made caused every wolf in the vicinity to tense up and remain alert, restraining themselves from jumping up and giving the omega what he needed. No wolf could resist the cries of an omega. Knowing that so many wolves wanted to care for him, even if he knew it was just instinctual and not because of a connection of any kind, made Jongin dizzy, and he gripped Yifan's arm tightly, digging his fingernails into the skin.

"Go on, sweetheart. We'll be right outside, just call our names if you need us," Baekhyun said as they nudged Jongin through the tent flap. He stumbled inside and for a second he floundered, whirling around in a panic to see their faces one last time, but the flap had already closed.

Gulping audibly, Jongin took a deep breath.

Fuck.

"I've been waiting for you, little one," came a voice from deeper inside the tent, thick and sugary, but deep like the ocean waves. It made Jongin visibly shiver, and he turned back around, squinting in the dim tent. 

There were no lamps or candles lit, only the daylight filtering in through the tent fabric, making it almost impossible to see. Jongin's sharp eyes quickly adjusted, however, and soon it wasn't so dark as it was a pleasant dimness, making the atmosphere warm.

Licking his lips, Jongin gulped again, taking a step forward, "I... I have come to accept your mark, Alpha," he said, barely above a whisper, afraid if he spoke any louder that his voice would break.

A hand appeared, palm up, beckoning the omega forward. He obeyed, shuffling forward until he reached out to grasp the hand, still trembling from head to toe. 

Before he could say anything else, Jongin was pulled forward, squeaking in surprise just before his cheek met a firm, broad chest, slightly slick with sweat and eeking pheromones. His wolf keened in the presence of such a strong alpha, and the omega couldn't stop the string of whimpers that left his throat as he flung his arms around the alpha's neck and pressed his face against his shoulder.

"You're shaking." Minseok's voice as so much closer now, puffing hot across Jongin's ear, and all the omega could do was bury his nose in the source of his wonderful scent, breathing him in like a fish to water. The alpha chuckled softly, sliding a warm hand down Jongin's back and over the furs he wore over his hips, stopping to rest along the curve of his covered rump, giving it a few fond pats. "Oh, treasure, I'll take good care of you," the voice went deeper, halfway into a whisper, and Jongin gulped thickly.

Wordlessly, Minseok guided Jongin to sit up, hands firm as they tugged off the white fox furs that had served as the omega's coverings. Raising his eyes for the first time to the alpha's face, Jongin saw that he was smiling. It was a barely there, ghost of a smile, but it was there. Timidly, Jongin returned the smile, finally letting go, the last few threads of anxiety snapping away from him, his omega instincts taking over.

And it was easy. So easy.

And it felt so good. So, so good.

Jongin had never been aroused after his first initial heat, the one that had determined his rank. He was beginning to learn that the experience was entirely different than the way he was now, spread over Minseok's thick thighs, their tongues swirling in an intimate dance between their mouths. The tent was quiet save for their soft puffs of breaths, and the wet suctioning sounds of their kissing. Jongin had a fleeting thought that the other pack members were no doubt listening in, but he couldn't care less at the moment because he was drowning in Minseok's scent.

When Minseok traced a calloused fingertip down the cleft of Jongin's ass, scraping over his rim, Jongin keened, arching into the touch. He was already wet, his slick not as viscous as it was during his heat, but slick nonetheless. 

"Alpha..." Jongin whimpered breathlessly, panting humidly against Minseok's neck.

The alpha smiled against his hair, crooning as he slid the finger inside, meeting little resistance. A deep rumble of approval vibrated in his chest, and his thick cock gave a twitch, "That's it, little one, open up for me," 

Tipping them forward, Minseok laid Jongin down on his furs, leaving wet kisses on each of the omega's nipples, testing their give between his teeth as he added another finger. Jongin moaned through his teeth, chest heaving and glistening with sweat. His body responded exactly as it should, producing more slick as his rim relaxed and widened almost on its own. Through the haze, Jongin could hear Minseok muttering praises as he added two more fingers, eventually diving down to get a taste.

Minseok's tongue dipping inside him was almost too much, and Jongin cried out, snapping his thighs together out of reflex. A growl from the alpha made him tremble and moan as his thighs were pushed back apart. "Alpha!" he whined, trembling on the edge of orgasm. Minseok didn't seem to mind, however, because he kept going, pumping his fingers quickly as he licked at the stretched rim. He continued all the way through Jongin's first orgasm, cooing down at him, stroking the omega's sides once he was through the aftershocks.

"Are you ready for my knot, little omega?" came Minseok's rough voice, thick with arousal, causing Jongin to peel his eyes open and give a soft whine. The alpha didn't need to ask, it was his right to mount anyone without question, so the fact that Minseok had asked first made a lump form in Jongin's throat.

Swallowing it down, Jongin found his voice and nodded, "Please~ I'm right here, alpha~" still touched out from his orgasm, his voice took on a higher, breathier quality that surely riled up the alpha if his dilating pupils had anything to say about that.

His heart gave a few more hard thumps when, after he'd been rolled over by gentle hands, Jongin found his head as propped up by a small cushion, as well as another placed beneath his hips for more comfort. Baekhyun had been right. Minseok was taking good care of him. With a soft whine, Jongin looked back over his shoulder and wiggled his ass slightly in invitation, flushing right afterwards because he'd never done anything so bold.

Minseok smiled, however, and gave a soft, low chuckle. Gripping his thick cock, the alpha placed a quick kiss to Jongin's shoulder as he lowered himself on top of him, chest pressed to back, pushing the omega against the bed in a delicious posture of complete dominance and ownership. Jongin's wolf howled with joy at the sensation, and he shivered, nerves tingling as he felt Minseok's heavy length nudge between his ass cheeks.

And then, he slid inside.

The moment Minseok pushed inside, there was a thick, wet squelch that filled the tent, and Jongin gasped sharply, his mouth hanging open in a silent scream. He stared blankly ahead, eyes glazed over with complete abandon as all he could focus on was the sensation of being filled, stuffed to the brim. The omega gulped thickly, feeling so full that he gagged.

But it was good.

So fucking good.

With a strangled whimper, Jongin flexed his trembling thighs to press back against Minseok, begging for more. That seemed to be what the alpha was waiting for, because he immediately started a quick, deep pace, the wet clapping of their fucking sounding almost immediately. 

Jongin howled.

He clawed at the furs for purchase.

He clamped around Minseok liked a vice, causing the alpha to growl with pleasure.

Jongin was blubbering nonsense by the time Minseok's knot began to catch at his rim, and he hissed each time it pulled a bit too hard. Whining, his eyes watered, overwhelmed when the knot slipped all the way inside, conflicted between pleasure and pain. Because Minseok's knot was pressed perfectly against Jongin's prostate. But it also fucking hurt as it continued to expand inside of him. 

Whimpering, the omega sniffled through his moans, placated by the small kisses Minseok gave him once he lost the ability to thrust, his knot locking them together completely. "Almost there, sweet one," he murmured with a grunt, leaning down to press his teeth to Jongin's shoulder.

It was a flurry of sensations when Jongin came for the second time. Minseok sank his teeth into his skin, clamping down hard as he too came in thick, long spurts deep inside the omega.

Jongin wailed shrilly, "It hurts! Alpha, it hurts! Please!" he trembled, fully formed tears rolling down his nose as he panted shallowly.

Gently, Minseok withdrew from the bite, licking the wound soothingly, and Jongin quieted to soft hiccups and sniffles, closing his eyes.

"You did well, my child. So well," Minseok whispered into his ear, rolling them onto their sides. His knot wasn't going down for a while, so he took this time to comfort the small omega in his arms. He nuzzled the boy softly, murmuring praises and quiet words of encouragement. Minseok needed to show Jongin that he was going to protect him and take care of him, as an alpha should.

Jongin gulped thickly, taking deep breaths as he calmed down. His entire body ached, and the bite was the worst pain he'd ever felt, and yet, he smiled. Minseok's bite was what brought him into the pack, and he felt the bond forming and wrapping around him. Jongin was so relieved, and so thankful, that another wave of tears erupted from his eyes, and he gave a soft sob.

"Thank you..."


	6. Chapter 6

Rolling onto his back, Kyungsoo stared up at the dark sky through the smoke hole in the top of the tent. He could hear the slightly muffled timbres of Chanyeol's voice coming from somewhere outside the tent, begging Jongdae to go faster. Or was it Joonmyun. Jongdae and Joonmyun, he thought, most likely, after what sounded like dark collective chuckles echoed in response to the needy beta's cries. 

Hours ago, the pack watched as Baekhyun and Yifan led their new addition, Jongin, to Minseok's tent to be initiated. As the omega passed the fire circle, they'd gotten both a good look and a god whiff. Kyungsoo had looked back down at his dinner when he caught himself watching the way Jongin's rump moved under the furs for too long. He remained quiet as the other members shifted a bit restlessly, both recognizing and affected by the young omega's, albeit unconscious, allure. 

Kyungsoo glanced up once more to see Jongin disappearing inside the tent, and something inside him stirred in anticipation. 

Baekhyun and Yifan had taken seats in the circle, Baekhyun with a naive, yet not unknowing Sehun, and Yifan with his mate. Kyungsoo was on the other side of the circle, with Jongdae to his left and Joonmyun to his right. Said beta had his arm linked through Kyungsoo's, but he didn't mind. Ever since his punishment, the alpha had forced himself to calm down and accept his pack member's affections, even when he felt like running away, because he knew they never did it to annoy him, at least not on purpose.

Everyone was quietly chatting and finishing their dinner when the first of Jongin's delectable vocal experience was heard. Kyungsoo made eye contact with Jongdae just as Minseok's low growl reverberated from the tent, and Joonmyun's hushed curse of, " _Fuck me..._ " responded.

And then it was like a switch was hit. The ones who'd been affected the most by the delicious sounds coming from Minseok's tent immediately began grappling for each other. A wolf's libido burned bright and hot like a match, it only took so little to set it off. Baekhyun ushered Sehun away, the pup still too young to engage in any activities, though the boy was perfectly used to the fact.

Kyungsoo set his bowl down before Joonmyun could bat it away as he climbed into the alpha's lap, sucking his breath away with a kiss before Kyungsoo could say anything. Groaning, he gave Joonmyun's behind an appreciatively hard squeeze before pulling back forcibly, "Joon," he said, a little breathless, keeping the beta as still as he could, though it was difficult with Joonmyun's hips rolling at such a distracting angle, "Joon I... can't. I just--" Kyungsoo's voice cut off, and he felt his face burn with shame.

Joonmyun pulled back from where he'd been mouthing at Kyungsoo's neck, brows furrowed, and a disappointed pout on his lips for a moment before he softened into a sympathetic smile, "It's okay, Soo. Don't worry about it. I've got Dae, right?" they both turned to the mentioned alpha, only to find him with his fingers buried in Chanyeol's hair, the beta's head bobbing as he slurped at Jongdae's red cock. Joonmyun gave a chortle, and shrugged his shoulders.

Kyungsoo held the beta's chin tenderly, regaining their eye contact, "I'm sorry," he whispered, giving one last soft kiss to Joonmyun's lips in a farewell, squeezing his waist, "Tomorrow, first thing. I promise. You're my Myun, okay?" the alpha nipped Joonmyun's upper lip with a soft smile.

Joonmyun chuckled, and he rocked his hips extra hard over Kyungsoo's cock, smirking at the groan he received, "Damn right I am~" sliding off the alpha's lap, the beta blew a kiss before sliding over to Jongdae, stroking his cheek before they began to make out.

Sighing, Kyungsoo took a moment to get his bearings. Yifan and Luhan had disappeared somewhere, and Tao and Yixing were currently dry humping, too caught up in each other to pay attention to anyone or anything else. 

That was how he ended up alone in the tent, tossing and turning on his furs as he tried to figure out what his problem was. It wasn't like there was anything wrong with declining Joonmyun's invitation. He just hadn't been in the mood... Kyungsoo huffed and rolled onto his right side, folding his arm back and resting his head on the bend of his elbow. 

Not in the mood?

Bullshit.

There as an angry, pulsing erection hanging between his legs, resting so heavy on his thigh it felt like it was burning, and yet Kyungsoo had no desire to take care of it. Was he sick? No, he felt fine. But he'd rejected Joonmyun for the third time in the last few weeks, and he was smart enough to know that the beta's understanding smile he gave him was losing its authenticity each time it happened. 

Kyungsoo didn't want to hurt Joonmyun.

And it wasn't like the desire was gone!

Growling, he rolled over to his other side, kicking his covers aside.

This was getting annoying.

If nothing was wrong, then what the fuck was it then?!

" _OH fuck, Jongdae, more!"_  Chanyeol's wails were getting louder and more shrill, and it was making the vein in Kyungsoo's temple throb. Taking his pillow, he covered his head with it and curled up into a tight ball. Kyungsoo could make himself very tiny if he really wanted to. His personality was usually so large that people tended to forget just how small he actually was.

It was that position that Kyungsoo held all night, finally passing out after exhausting himself with his racing mind.

 

 

He was still hard when he woke up the next morning. 

After trying (and failing) to readjust his covering, only to have his erection spring up and ruin its purpose, Kyungsoo tossed the garment entirely and shifted to his wolf. A good run would be good for him right now.

Hours later, the weak winter sun finally rose over the snowy forest, and the alpha slowed from the breakneck pace he'd kept, having decided to just run patrol along the perimeter of their territory. His paws left perfect imprints as he stepped and crunched through it, and he was temporarily fascinated by the way the snow held the shape, like mud or sand on the riverbank.

A twig snapped, and Kyungsoo looked up to see Joonmyun's russet colored wolf trotting over to meet him. The alpha waited until he was close, and touched noses with the beta, stepping closer to give his ears a few licks and a stray nip, rumbling in greeting, "You sounded like you had a lot of sun last night," he said.

Joonmyun paused in his preening to give a short yip, "Sure did. You missed out," the beta dipped his head and licked under Kyungsoo's chin, a shy act of submission.

Rumbling once more, Kyungsoo pawed Joonmyun's maw gently, "Hey. I promised, remember? Just you and me." after the run, the alpha was feeling much better, and almost back to normal. His sublte, yet sincere warmth had returned.

Joonmyun seemed to notice, and he was pleased. Jumping a bit, his eyes sparkled, and his tail whipped back and forth, "You really meant that?" he gave a soft whine, stepping closer to nudge his head under Kyungsoo's chin.

Kyungsoo pressed down on the beta's head, "Myun, of course I did. Did you think I didn't?" the alpha felt guilt rise in his throat like acid reflux.

"Well I..."

"Come. Let's go back. We'll kick Dae and Tao out of the tent and we'll have it to ourselves." Kyungsoo licked Joonmyun's snout and began to walk back towards camp.

Joonmyun scrambled to fall into place beside him, and he whined again, "Wait! It's... could we... I don't want to wait..."

Stopping, Kyungsoo turned to the slightly smaller wolf, tilting his head with a few puffs of warm air. Slowly, he shifted to his human form, a tiny smile on his thick lips, "Myun, always impatient, how could I forget,"

The beta had shifted as well, and that pout was back, "You haven't been spending time with me lately!"

Kyungsoo pulled Joonmyun against him, palms imemdiately cupping the beta's ass, "I know. And I'm sorry. This is me making it up to you," he offered one of his rare smiles, heart shaped and much more endearing than others would admit to him.

Joonmyun rolled his eyes and faked a groan, sliding his arms over Kyungsoo's shoulders, "I must be a saint for forgiving you so easily like this~" he leaned forward so their lips ghosted across one another. Smirking, the alpha's grip tightened, and that dissolved any of the beta's sarcasm in a breathy moan. Joonmyun tilted his head back, baring his neck, "God, please, Soo. Alpha..."

Latching his lips to the beta's milky neck, Kyungsoo sucked hard to mark and claim as his hands pulled plump ass cheeks apart before squeezing them back together, all while rocking his hips forward.

Joonmyun wasn't the most vocal of the pack, but he did have his moments. This was one of them. Whining, he gripped Kyungsoo's shoulders as his knees buckled, and he struggled to maintain his footing, bare feet sliding in the snow slightly. It was a good thing wolves were naturally hot blooded, or else they'd already be frozen. It wasn't like the cold didn't affect them at all, however. The tiny ice particles still stung a bit, but they didn't worry. They'd be done quickly anyway.

Kyungsoo and Joonmyun were always like that. Fast, rough,  _desperate_.

Today especially was the case.

When Kyungsoo tried to stretch him open, Joonmyun had screamed for him to, "Fuck that, rip me open alpha!"

Needless to say, when his alpha was being appealed to so earnestly, Kyungsoo would have been insane not to comply with the needy beta's demands.

Gripping Joonmyun's hips tight enough to bruise, Kyungsoo all but forced his thick cock inside. Joonmyun screamed again, but it wasn't a bad one. This one was raw and pure, full of the most potent pleasure. Gritting his teeth, the alpha growled, pausing to add more spit to their connection before he began pounding, jackhammering. 

Joonmyun had his arms wrapped around a thin tree, tears streaming down his face as he wailed with delight at the way Kyungsoo was wrecking him. Kyungsoo himself was long gone, growling and rutting his hips like an animal.

Well...

The snow around their feet had melted to old wet leaves, and it didn't help the way they kept slipping in the cold mud. It was a miracle they didn't fall, but if they had, they probably wouldn't have stopped.

It didn't take ten minutes before Joonmyun finished, keening into his arm as he sobbed with pleasure, spurting against the tree's trunk unceremoniously, "Please," he wheezed, "Inside. Inside me, alpha," he begged. The alpha's knot was growing, and the beta whined as it pushed against his strained inner walls.

Kyungsoo grunted, and snapped his hips a half dozen more times before white exploded in his vision, and he choked out Joonmyun's name. He panted as he felt the beta's body milk him dry, and his thighs quivered from all the exertion.

Glancing over his shoulder, Joonmyun gave him a tired smile, one that Kyungsoo returned before wrapping his arms around him from behind and connected their lips. They stood there, quietly kissing, as they waited for the alpha's knot to go down. A few minutes later it did, and Kyungsoo carefully pulled out.

"I didn't hurt you," he murmured once they faced each other, cupping Joonmyun's cheeks, running his thumbs across tearstained cheekbones.

Joonmyun's smile was unphazed, and he shook his head, closing his eyes and leaning into Kyungsoo's touch, "It was worth it..."

Sighing, Kyungsoo chuckled and pecked the beta's lips, "Let's get out of the cold," he said before shifting to his wolf, waiting until Joonmyun did so as well.

They ran back to camp together, sides brushing, as close as they could get. Everyone was up for breakfast when they arrived, which was a little uncommon. Usually one or two liked to sleep in.

It wasn't until Kyungsoo and Joonmyun, now shifted back and wearing coverings, stepped closer that they saw why. The new omega, Jongin, was finally meeting the rest of the pack.

Joonmyun made a happy sound and barreled forward into the group, "Jongin!" he chirped, and the omega looked up. Kyungsoo saw his face for the first time, and he blinked. 

Fuck, he was gorgeous!

Stepping closer, Kyungsoo sidled up beside Tao, a little behind him. The young alpha glanced at him, a bright smile on his face. Everyone had matching expressions on their faces. It was hard not to smile like that when Jongin was just so adorable. 

The omega was currently squished between Yifan and Sehun. Yifan, because he seemed the most comfortable with him, and Sehun, because the pup had been too excited to reunite with his self appointed new playmate. Sehun was latched to Jongin's arm and in the middle of rubbing his cheek against his shoulder. Yifan had an arm around Jongin's waist, and his posture was almost protective. Jongin had his body half turned towards him, leaning against his chest, hands fidgeting with the tall omega's free hand, playing with his long fingers. It was obvious they'd formed a bond from spending so much time together.

"Let's not crowd the boy, come on, give him some room now," Minseok called from his usual spot, Baekhyun having reclaimed his lap.

Everyone shuffled back, looking sheepish.

"Jongin, this is everyone in the pack, your family now. We will protect you, just as we protect each other, and we will love you," Yifan said, calmly rubbing the omega's side.

Jongin nodded, glancing at each of the pack members with wide eyes.

Yifan smiled at his timid reaction, "Well, you already know me, Baekhyun, Minseok, and Sehun, Joonmyun, and Yixing, so that's more than half of us," the omega looked a little relieved, and Kyungsoo found that a bit endearing. Yifan began pointing to everyone as he said their names, "This here is Luhan~ You know who he is, of course."

Luhan smiled gently at Jongin, who smiled back timidly.

"That's Chanyeol, resident goofball and beta," Yifan continued.

"Hey!" Chanyeol looked indignant for a moment before breaking into a grin almost too wide for his face, "I'm just joking, it's alright. Great to meet ya, Jongin," the beta said, his deep voice booming enthusiastically. 

Jongin appeared startled by Chanyeol's voice, but he broke into a tiny giggle after getting over his shock. "...Hi Chanyeol," he said quietly and oh. His voice was the softest, squishiest thing Kyungsoo has ever heard.

Chanyeol beamed, and Jongdae stepped forward, introducing himself before Yifan had the chance, "Yo. I'm Jongdae, folks here call me Jong or Dae, you can call me whatever, it's up to you." he winked with his brilliant smile, "Between you and me though, we're gonna have to find a nickname for you too, otherwise there might be a few mix ups, what with us both being Jong's after all," he laughed.

"Nice to meet you, Jong or Dae," Jongin said, his voice and smile slowly becoming more confident, and Kyungsoo swore he caught a glint of snark and mischief in those round eyes. Jongdae looked a mix between shocked and impressed.

Tao saw it was his cue and stepped forward, tugging Kyungsoo over as well before he could stop him, "Hey Jongin, I'm really glad you're okay after surviving those coyotes," the young alpha said sincerely, "I'm Tao. This here is Kyungsoo. Don't mind him if he looks scary or doesn't talk much, he's just like that." Tao pinched Kyungsoo's cheek teasingly, and said alpha huffed and pushed him away, growling softly, though it held no threat to it.

Jongin looked grateful, "Thank you, Tao. I'm glad I'm okay too..." he shifted his gaze, and Kyungsoo met his eyes. It was piercing, and the alpha had a hard time looking away, but he finally did after about two seconds, "It's nice to meet you, Kyungsoo." Jongin's voice had returned to its timid tone, and Kyungsoo wanted to change that. But he didn't know how to do that. 

Giving a short grunt, he nodded, glancing up once more, "Jongin." he said in acknowledgement. 

Saying the omega's name felt strange on his tongue. 

He couldn't decided if he liked it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELP WANTED: I'm in desperate need of a beta for this story. Must be fluent in English and adept at correcting grammar mistakes. Must believe in the Oxford Comma, goddammit. I also wouldn't mind if you pointed out inconsistencies/plot holes/etc. Comment if you're interested!


	7. Chapter 7

"So Jongin, why were you all alone when we found you, anyway?" Kyungsoo heard Yixing ask one afternoon about a week later. The alpha was in the middle of carefully gutting that day's kills, disposing of the entrails and cutting away the hides and meat. Yixing and Jongin were seated not too far away, scraping the fat and blood vessels from the back of the hides to prepare them for further use. Chanyeol was there as well, helping Kyungsoo with the butchering work.

Jongin paused, looking at the thin rock scraper he held in his hand. Yixing sensed the omega's discomfort, and quickly waved his hands, "Ah, you don't have to answer that. I should've known not to ask senseless questions..." the beta gave a halfhearted chuckle.

Kyungsoo glanced at Chanyeol, who looked curious, but wasn't about to butt in. 

"No, I..." Jongin spoke up, his shoulders slumping with the barely audible sigh he let out, "You'll find out anyway, right? Might as well say it now..." Yixing frowned, but remained quiet, waiting for the omega to continue. "I was banished. From my old pack."

The tendon Kyungsoo was in the middle of sawing through suddenly gave, and he narrowly escaped cutting into his arm. Coughing quietly, he waved off Chanyeol's concern, returning to his task.

"Banished?" came Yixing's gentle voice. 

Jongin nodded, "My fath--uh. The head alpha and his mate caught their son and I... well, we..." he felt his cheeks color in shame, and he began to scrape a bit too hard on the hide, "Their son, he was my best friend. My brother. He was only a bit older than I, had already had his heat and mated..." the omega gulped.

Yixing reached over and gently took Jongin's hand, "What happened?"

"My heat came that morning... Taemin, he was helping me through it...." Jongin shook his head quickly, realizing his mistake in wording, "Not... not like..." he sucked in a breath, sounding like a hiss, squeezing his eyes shut tightly, "We were just talking... just talking, and then--" Jongin's breath caught in his throat, and his face became pale, almost green.

Alarmed, Yixing dropped his task and wrapped an arm around Jongin's shoulders, "Sh. You don't have to tell it all right now, Jongin, it's okay. That's good for now, maybe you can continue later," the beta glanced up at Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, who'd been watching the whole time.

Nodding, Kyungsoo gave Chanyeol a look and tilted his head towards Yixing, silently telling him to help.

Blinking rapidly, Chanyeol looked frazzled for a split second before he shook his head and pulled on his regular wide smile, "Hey, Jongin. I know a really cool place that you can only see this time of year. Wanna see?" he stepped over, voice a little too loud, but endearing nonetheless.

Jongin looked up, eyes slightly glassy, and nodded.

"Great! Let's go, yeah?" Chanyeol's chuckle was slightly shaky, the only indication of his worry, and he took the omega's hand, "Since you're cute, I'll even piggyback you!"

Jongin blushed, "Eh? No, I... hyung, you don't have to..."

"Nonsense! Get on before I make ya!" Chanyeol crouched in front of the omega, and Jongin timidly climbed up. When he was secured, the beta took off, Jongin's surprised squeal echoing in the trees, along with a giggle a second later.

Sighing, Yixing turned to Kyungsoo, "Thanks. I couldn't think of anything that would be a good distraction."

The alpha nodded, wiping the blood from his hands, "It's no problem,"

"Poor little guy... I know he didn't finish, but, I already have a feeling where his story is going, as much as I don't want to even imagine that..." Yixing made a face.

Kyungsoo looked at the hide Jongin had been working on, the skin perfectly scraped clean, evidence he'd done the task many times before, perhaps in his old pack, "It's good that you found him." he said, surprising himself with the amount of sincerity in his tone of voice.

Yixing sidled alongside him, running his palm flat down the alpha's spine, "You're a good person, Kyungsoo. Much more than you like to admit." he said, like it was a fact. 

And maybe it was.

Giving a half smile was Kyungsoo's only response, and Yixing kissed his cheek, "Go wash, I'll clean up here."

Seizing the opportunity, Kyungsoo headed down towards the river.

Spring was near, so the water was slightly warmer than its frigid winter state. Stripping down, Kyungsoo dove in, relishing in the way his heart rate trilled in reaction to the change in temperature. Surfacing, he wipped his eyes and began to bathe, washing the blood from his hands and arms, and the residual dirt from the rest of his body.

He was just about done, when he heard splashing nearby. Looking up, he saw Minseok, Baekhyun, and Yifan wading towards him. 

"Hey, Soo~ Finished already?" Baekhyun chirped as he waded in to his waist. Yifan had taken a seat on the bank, resting his swollen feet in the cool water. He was much larger now, heavy with pups, though it was nowhere near his due date.

Kyungsoo scratched at his scalp, washing his hair, "We took an unexpected break." he said before dunking his head to rinse out his hair.

"Unexpected break?" Minseok raised a brow from where he was scrubbing Baekhyun's back.

"Yixing asked Jongin about his past, why he was alone when he was found. The kid started to tell us his story, but, got shook up halfway through." Kyungsoo explained as he waded out of the water, "Chanyeol took him to his special place." he shook himself dry and took a seat beside Yifan, reaching to stroke his distended belly with fond hands.

Yifan looked concerned, "Is Jongin alright?" Baekhyun and Minseok held similar expressions.

Kyungsoo shrugged, "Kid's been through a lot, right? He'll be okay eventually, Chanyeol can take care of him for today," he got up to leave, finding his tunic and slipping it on.

"Kyungsoo, wait. I have to speak to you about something," came Minseok's strong voice, causing the alpha to turn back around expectantly.

Wading out of the river, Minseok came over and put a hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder, "You've shown exceptional growth in the past years, and have proved yourself to be a strong, and dutiful alpha."

Kyungsoo's eyes narrowed in confusion, but he said nothing.

"That being said," Minseok continued, "I have decided to pair you with Sehun as mates."

"...What?" Kyungsoo was, for once, completely dumbfounded.

Minseok chuckled, "Don't look so surprised, you've more than worthy of Sehun. He is like a son to me, and I want what's absolutely best for him. You're strong, brave, and incredibly trustworthy, Kyungsoo, all the best traits an alpha should have. You were the obvious decision for Sehun's mate."

Kyungsoo didn't know what to say.

"So, when Sehun's heat is over, you will to be mated at the next mating moon, understood?" Minseok placed his hands on Kyungsoo's cheeks, a sincere, fond smile on his face, "Don't disappoint me, Soo." he murmured.

Seeing Minseok so genuine sent a jolt through Kyungsoo's body, and he felt his cheeks grow hot. Swallowing, he nodded, unable to refuse.

"Yes, Alpha."

Kyungsoo didn't move, standing there was Minseok left with Baekhyun on his arm.

Slowly, he turned and sat back down beside Yifan, who was still seated where he'd been the whole time.

Heaving a sigh, Kyungsoo dropped his face in his hands.

Gentle hands rubbed at the alpha's back, and he couldn't help but relax beneath their touch, "Kyungsoo..." Yifan's voice was like silk.

Turning swiftly, Kyungsoo buried his face in the omega's neck. They'd never touched so intimately before, but something inside Kyungsoo was making him crave an omega's calming touch.

"Will you refuse?" Yifan asked, carding his long slender fingers through Kyungsoo's damp strands.

Kyungsoo shook his head, "And disrespect Minseok like that? No. I can't do that to him." he lifted his head and looked at Yifan, his eyes like flint, sharp and hard, "I'll do my duty. As an alpha, and as a member of this pack."

Yifan's smile was sad, and Kyungsoo felt the urge to kiss it away.

So he did.

Lips soft, he kept the kiss slow, longing for... what he didn't know. He just knew that to find it, he had to keep searching far and wide. Nipping at Yifan's lips, Kyungsoo coaxed his mouth open, sliding his tongue forward for a taste. Yifan tasted like melon and mint, delicate, pleasing. Yet it was all wrong. Why was it wrong? Why?

Pulling away, Kyungsoo covered his mouth and looked away, shoulders tense, up by his ears, "I'm sorry. This isn't fair to you." he said quickly before getting to his feet and scrambling away

"Wait, Kyungsoo!" Yifan cried, hand extended towards where the alpha had disappeared. Sighing, the omega carefully got to his feet, lightly touching his lips that were still tingling from the alpha's kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cross posted on aff*


	8. Bonus Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place right after Chapter 1

"Chanyeol?" Kyungsoo called as he pulled back the flap of the beta tent. It was significantly dimmer inside the tent, and the alpha squinted as he ducked inside, closing the flap behind him.

There was no answer, but Kyungsoo knew Chanyeol was there, if the telltale lump under the pile of furs was any indication. Crossing the distance, the small alpha wormed his way under the furs, settling behind the long, broad beta. He didn't need to say anything as he wrapped his arms around Chanyeol, pressing his face between the beta's shoulder blades. Chanyeol always liked to be spooned and held this way. It made him feel safe, and not so awkward and big.

"You gonna tell me what's wrong?" Kyungsoo said after a few minutes of cuddling. He'd emitted a fresh batch of his heavy alpha scent, and it had seemed to keep Chanyeol fairly calm, but he stiffened once he was called out. Sighing, Kyungsoo slipped his hands under the beta's tunic, splaying his short fingers across Chanyeol's flat belly, stroking the skin in a comforting manner. "Don't tell me you're still hung up on this morning, Chan, come on." Kyungsoo continued.

Still, Chanyeol didn't respond. It was so unlike his usual personality, that Kyungsoo was starting to get genuinely concerned. Pursing his lips, he pressed closer, his hips to Chanyeol's back side, chest to back, full body contact. "Is this about Jongdae?" he tried again, this time, cautiously.

"It's not about anybody!" Chanyeol finally spat, tone bitter and hurt, a slight tremor in his voice. Kyungsoo frowned, his inner wolf giving a snarl at the beta's attitude towards him, but he suppressed it, knowing asserting his dominance in this situation would probably just make things worse.

"Then what?" Kyungsoo demanded, nudging his knee between Chanyeol's, "Why are you sulking off in here and snapping at your friend who's just trying to help?" it was a low blow, Kyungsoo knew that, but nothing else was going to work.

Chanyeol visibly drooped, and the alpha heard him swallow, "Do you ever wonder..." his voice was quiet, and Kyungsoo had to strain to hear him properly, "...what it would be like if you ended up a different rank...?" 

Kyungsoo's eyes widened in surprise, "Chanyeol--" he started to say.

"I'm useless. Sure, I'm tall, but that's all I have. I don't have your strength, or Jongdae's speed, or Minseok's wisdom. I'm not beautiful like Baekhyun, and I'm not skilled like Joonmyeon or Yixing." Chanyeol's voice was wobbly, and Kyungsoo could smell the sharp flavor of salt on the air. The beta was crying. "Nobody even fucks me unless I ask them first. I just get in the way. I take up space. Maybe it'll be better if I just--"

"Stop." Kyungsoo snapped harshly, firmly. "Right now." he turned Chanyeol to face him, frowning deeply, "You are a part of this pack. A part of this family." Kyungsoo's voice softened, and he gently cupped Chanyeol's cheek, swiping away the beta's tears, "My pack, my family." Chanyeol's lips wobbled, and he closed his eyes, sniffling unattractively, "You are an essential part of this pack. Without you, it would be unbalanced. Everyone here holds you in such a high regard." Kyungsoo went on.

"K...Kyungsoo....!" Chanyeol warbled, grabbing the alpha and burying his face in his neck, hiccuping as he fell apart.

Kyungsoo cooed gently, running his fingers through the beta's hair and holding him tightly, pulling Chanyeol's long leg around his hip to hook into place there, rubbing his thigh. "Shh... hush now..." he murmured.

Pulling away, Chanyeol wiped his face, still a bit watery, but he gave a softer version of his usual wide grin, a small, grateful smile now. "Could you... I need..." he stammered, biting his lip and pressing his hips against Kyungsoo's.

Getting the message, Kyungsoo stroked Chanyeol's fringe back, "Me? You don't want Jongdae to...?"

Chanyeol shook his head, wiping away a few stray tears that continued to fall, "I... He can't see me like this... I can't..." he looked away, covering his eyes.

Nodding, Kyungsoo softly nudged their lips together, kissing away Chanyeol's insecurities with a soft sweep of his tongue.

"I'm here." he murmured as he laid Chanyeol back and hovered over him, parting his legs open.

"You're safe." Kyungsoo said as he gently worked the beta open with steady, firm fingers.

"I'm here." he breathed as he slowly eased himself inside, kissing away Chanyeol's whimpers.

"You're needed." he groaned against Chanyeol's neck before biting there, giving him a mark that would last at least a week.

"I'm here." Kyungsoo shuddered as they came together, panting and in a haze of pleasure.

"You're loved." Kyungsoo whispered after they were clean and on the cusp of sleep, Chanyeol's head pillowed on his chest, the smile back on his face, where it should always be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i know this doesn't really count as an update, but, i've been wanting to add this bonus chapter about chansoo's scene that i didn't add into chapter 1.  
> as you can see, chanyeol has some struggles with self acceptance and his self worth as a beta  
> he's all smiles, but, what's really underneath that sunny exterior?  
> you just got a sneak peek  
> i also wanted to showcase more of chansoo's relationship, and their dynamic, as well a hint to possible chandae/chenyeol drama later on ;)  
> you'll see more of chanyeol and his side of things possibly in future bonus chapters  
> i'd like to keep the main story mainly in the perspectives of jongin and kyungsoo, but i've grown to love all of my characters, so i wouldn't mind posting bonus content or even possibly a side story on its own.  
> i hope you guys liked it, i'm working on an official update, don't worry  
> it will be significantly longer than any other chapter, so i hope that will make up for such a long wait!  
> until next time~


	9. Chapter 8

In the past few weeks since Minseok's declaration, Kyungsoo's nerves have been frayed beyond comprehension. He felt kind of dense now that he thought about it. He was at the prime age for mating; of course Minseok would have been thinking about who to pair him with. It was his duty as main alpha to make sure all of his pack members were mated and suitable for producing offspring that would in turn strengthen the pack with increasing numbers. A main alpha had the wisdom and the foresight to properly pair someone with the best possible mate. That was how things were done, how they've been done for centuries, and how they'd be done for centuries in the future. It was extremely rare for wolves to choose their own mate, usually when that happened, it was a lone wolf stealing another from their pack to claim as his own. Things didn't end well when that happened. Everyone respected their main alpha, however, and rarely questioned his decisions.

Still, Kyungsoo couldn't help but wonder if Minseok would be different. Their pack was already set apart from any other pack because of their close quartered dynamic. Why not bring it up a few notches with the concept of free will in mating? Unlikely, Kyungsoo thought. Mating was a serious, lifelong commitment that should not be taken lightly. That was why it was the main alpha's job to pour over the decision before making one. The fact that Minseok had announced it to Kyungsoo meant that he knew what he was talking about. Kyungsoo tended to forget just how old Minseok was, Baekyun as well. They had pretty much raised Sehun, after all. As wolves, age stopped mattering after one reached maturity. Their lifespans were long enough that humankind often referred to them as immortal. Maybe they were. Wolves held such violent lives, however, that none have ever lived longer than a hundred years to truly test that theory.

All this was running through Kyungsoo's mind, that he didn't notice that he was dropping his breakfast all over his lap and that his name was being called until it was too late.

"Kyungsoo!"

Jolting, Kyungsoo's eyes focused, and he blinked up at Chanyeol, eyes glassy. The beta sighed, bending to pick up his upturned bowl, "Look what you did, tsk." Chanyeol clicked his tongue. Blinking, Kyungsoo looked down and saw the mess he'd made.

Heaving a sigh, he got up, "Sorry..." the alpha half waddled out of the eating circle, the back of his neck burning from everyone's gaze.

"It's alright, Soo," Baekhyun said gently, using a damp cloth to wipe the spilled porridge from Kyungsoo's hands and thighs. "Why don't you go and get some air, hm? The storm's let up, so you should be fine."

Kyungsoo nodded, glancing back at the pack, Jongin's curious, yet concerned gaze feeling like an arrow from where the omega was peeking over Yifan's shoulder.

A large hand landed on his shoulder, and Kyungsoo looked up into Chanyeol's smiling face, "I'll go with you."

"Thanks." Kyungsoo said, already in the midst of undressing as he made his way towards the outer flap of the huge tent.

"Be safe~" Baekhyun called after them, Chanyeol turning to flash a thumbs up before following Kyungsoo outside.

The storm had left a new layer of fresh snow on the ground, and everything looked pristine and untouched. Kyungsoo itched to disrupt that uniformity, so he indulged himself. As he shifted, the snow crunched beneath his paws, and he let out a cloudy puff of air. Chanyeol's russet colored wolf knocked against his side, and the alpha turned towards him, giving a halfhearted growl of greeting as he nipped Chanyeol's pointed ear. The beta gave a soft whine, nuzzling into Kyungsoo's neck for a moment before pushing off. With a yip, Chanyeol batted at the alpha with his front paws and darted away. Growling in amusement, Kyungsoo gave in to his instinct to chase and took off after the beta.

Snow sprayed as they whipped past trees, rounded bushes, leaped over frozen streams, and climbed over stones. Just as Kyungsoo nipped at Chanyeol's heels, the beta dashed in another direction. Sometimes he slowed down enough for Kyungsoo to tackle him, and they'd roll around in a tussle on the ground, but Chanyeol would always find a way to slide out form under the alpha and start running again. If there was one thing Chanyeol was good at, it was playing like this. Kyungsoo loved letting loose like this, especially when he really needed it. Chanyeol knew him so well. 

Before he knew it, they'd reached what the pack liked to call "Chanyeol's Special Place." It wasn't exactly a secret or anything, they just called it that because it was Chanyeol who'd discovered it first. His "Special Place" was a natural forming hot spring, an oasis that they relished in, especially during the cold months of winter. There was nothing like rolling around in the snow and warming up in the borderline scalding water of the spring.

Chanyeol didn't even slow down as he barreled towards the water, tumbling in, fur and all, surfacing a moment later in his human form. Kyungsoo chose to change back before sliding inside the bath, sighing as the hot water loosened his tense muscles and relaxed him. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the bank, stretching his arms out across it. He didn't flinch as he felt Chanyeol slide up beside him, hair wet and stringy, looking young and fresh.

"You should've seen Jongin's face when I showed him this." Chanyeol said as he rubbed his arms, the dirt of living washing easily from his skin, "Never seen him smile so big, I bet even Yifan hasn't seen it." the beta's chest puffed out a bit.

Kyungsoo didn't respond for a while, but Chanyeol wasn't concerned. The alpha didn't usually talk much, and the beta could certainly do enough talking for the both of them.

Sure enough, Chanyeol continued to babble on, "Poor little guy, though. To think a sweet thing like him was banished from his pack the day of his heat. Can you imagine? Must have been horrible for him. It's a good thing we found him, though, I don't really want to think about what would have happened if those coyotes got the better of him."

"Minseok paired me with Sehun." Kyungsoo interrupted. He hadn't been paying attention to Chanyeol's words, his mind occupied with his current situation.

"He seems better though, Yifan's been taking good care of--" Chanyeol stopped abruptly as Kyungsoo's words finally registered in his brain, and he frowned in a mixture of confusion, alarm, and shock. "Wait. What?"

"I'm paired with Sehun." Kyungsoo repeated, meeting Chanyeol's gaze with his own heavy one, "After his heat, we're mating the very next mating moon. Minseok declared it."

Chanyeol was speechless for a moment, his lips quivering as he tried to form words. "Since when?" he finally asked, moving closer and pulling Kyungsoo close by his waist.

Kyungsoo leaned gratefully against his friend, closing his eyes, "A few weeks ago. When you took Jongin here. I went to the river to wash up and Minseok joined me with Baek and Yifan. He just pulled me aside and told me." the alpha's shoulders drooped, and he looked at his hands, the skin of his fingertips paling and going pruny from being in the water. "I thought you knew?" he looked up at Chanyeol.

The beta looked offended, "I didn't... who else knows then?"

"Baekhyun, obviously, and Yifan becaue he was there when it happened." Kyungsoo shrugged, looking away. "I don't know if anyone else knows. I don't even know if Sehun knows..." the alpha's eyes dimmed at the thought of sweet Sehun. He was still just a child.

Chanyeol's jaw set, and he sighed, "Don't tell him. Minseok will when he thinks the time is right. He's pretty much Sehun's father anyway."

Kyungsoo nodded, rubbing his eyes with a soft growl. The beta's hold on him tightened, and he felt Chanyeol's lips in his hair when he spoke again, "What will you do?"

"What I'm supposed to." Kyungsoo snapped. Chanyeol looked hurt, and he immediately regretted it. Reaching up, Kyungsoo cupped the beta's cheek in apology, "There's nothing else to it. You know that." his voice was softer.

Chanyeol nodded, though he still looked unsure. Dipping his head down, the beta buried his face in Kyungsoo's neck, holding him tighter, "I never thought you'd be mating this early. I never really thought about it in general..."

There was a faint smile on Kyungsoo's face, and he closed his eyes, carding his fingers through Chanyeol's wet hair. "No sense in worrying about it. Nothing's happening until Sehun has his heat and his rank is determined. It could happen tomorrow. Or it could happen a year from now." lifting Chanyeol's head, Kyungsoo brought their lips together in a soft kiss. The beta gave a soft whine, his large hands fitting around Kyungsoo's slender hips, "Let's just forget about what we can't change." he whispered.

Chanyeol seemed to agree, because he tipped forward and deepened the kiss, caging Kyungsoo against the bank. Their kiss was hungry, deep, and it ignited a fire deep in their bellies. They had to get out after a while, breathless and panting, faces flushed from overheating in the hot water while they made out. Climbing out, they continued their tryst in the snow, steam rising from their heated bodies as they gave in to their fleshly desires, the muffled quiet of the snowy forest disrupted by their howls.

===============

It's been slow, but Jongin found himself opening up to his fellow pack members, growing more comfortable and at ease around them. He's closest to Yifan, of course, spending almost every waking hour with the pregnant omega, all but glued to his side. Surprisingly, Jongin is very comfortable around Minseok as well, which surprises him because the other alphas tend to make him nervous, flashbacks of what happened with Taemin the cause for his cautious nature. But Minseok exudes a warm, comforting air around him that Jongin is naturally drawn to. A few days after his initial initiation to the pack, he'd shyly crawled over to Minseok (after the encouraging words of Yifan, of course) and peered up at him for permission to come closer. Smiling gently, the main alpha had welcomed Jongin into his lap, letting the young omega curl up there for a nap, face buried in his neck.

Naturally, Jongin fell into the pack dynamic, the first being leaning forward to peck Yifan's tiny mouth. Embarrassed, Jongin had covered his mouth and turned away, but Yifan only chuckled, pulling him back for more. Jongin's lips were definitely swollen the next day.

The second person Jongin kissed was Yixing. The kind beta had slid an arm around the omega's waist, and Jongin looked up in surprise, cheeks pink and heart fluttering. Yixing looked casual, continuing his conversation with Joonmyeon liked nothing happened. Glancing at the other beta, Jongin bit his lip, his heart practically in his throat when Joonymeon gave him a soft smile before turning back towards Yixing. Over his initial shock, Jongin slowly leaned into Yixing's strong side, his unique beta scent curious to the omega, his nostrils flaring as he investigated with an almost childlike interest. It wasn't until he felt the vibration of Yixing's chuckle against his cheek that Jongin realized he'd buried his face in the beta's armpit. Squeaking, he pulled away, shoulders hunched.

"Find anything you like in there?" Yixing's eyes sparkled with mirth, Joonmyeon's expression similar.

Jongin yipped in embarrassment, covering his face with his forearms, "I'm sorry! I-I was just--"

"Curious?" Yixing interrupted, cheek dimpling as he smiled gently.

Peeking from his makeshift hiding place, Jongin nodded, eyes round.

"Oh dear." came Joonmyeon's voice, and the omega looked at the elder, blushing at the beta's expression, "Can't believe I'm saying this, but you just might be even cuter than Sehun."

Jongin felt a pout forming, and he opened his mouth to respond when Yixing pulled him close again, arm steady on his waist, "It's okay, Jongin, curiosity is a good thing. Tell me, have you never met a beta before?"

Jongin shook his head, glancing between the two betas beside him, "Well, no. I-I mean, yes? Just not...not since I became..." he trailed off, shy.

"Since you became an omega?" Joonmyeon said quietly. Jongin nodded again, and the beta smiled, reaching out to gently stroke the omega's hair.

"We understand, Jongin." Yixing's kind voice sounded, and Jongin looked up at him, still looking unsure. Leaning down, Yixing cupped Jongin's cheek and gently pecked his lips, "You can ask us anything, anytime. Even if you just want to cuddle and not talk, that's okay too," he smiled at Jongin's still shocked expression, giving him another little peck, "Chanyeol is a beta too, you know."

"I-I know!" Jongin said, cheeks blazing. Getting over his indignant moment, he leaned up and shyly kissed Yixin'g cheek as thanks, turning and giving one to Joonmyeon as well. "Thank you, hyungs~" he chirped, smiling in a way that had both beta's breathless.

============

It seems that everywhere Kyungsoo goes, he sees Jongin there as well. There's always another pack member there as well, so it's probably his imagination, but he somehow can't help noticing Jongin whenever he's around. At first he ignored him, giving the young omega a wide berth, telling himself it's because he heard other members talking about Jongin's wariness towards alphas. Then, Kyungsoo allows himself to silently watch as Jongin interacts with his pack. True to what as said, Jongin still gives the alpha's cautious waves, never getting too close, and they all give him space, respecting his desires. But it becomes obvious that not only Kyungsoo, but the other alphas are getting a bit anxious. They want to get to know Jongin. Kyungsoo does, at least, and he sees how Jongdae looks on whenever Jongin climbs all over Chanyeol or snuggles up to Minseok.

Still, Kyungsoo finds himself drawn in by Jongin's shy little smiles and quiet nature, especially the way the omega silently helps out whoever he sees needs it. The other day, Joonmyeon came trudging into the tent, late to dinner, coming home from a day out on patrol. The beta was clearly exhausted. It was Jongin who brought over a heaping plate of dinner for Joonmyeon, serving the beta before settling behind him and rubbing the elder's shoulders. Joonmyeon cooed in appreciation, giving Jongin a few kisses and pulling him close after he was finished eating.

And that very morning, Kyungsoo woke up to the sound of Jongin quietly asking to help Baekhyun in his task of shaking out furs, beating the dust out of them and rubbing in fresh fragrant oil. The head omega gladly accepted the help, serving Jongin an extra helping during their next meal, much to Sehun's chagrin. The pup tried to steal from Jongin's bowl, and Jongin just grinned and pushed his friend away, teasing him for the reaction he wanted, which was Sehun whining that life was unfair.

Of course, Jongin follows Yifan around whenever he can, the elder omega now very much pregnant, waddling around as he did his daily activities. Luhan came to Kyungsoo one day with an amused smile, claiming that Jongin smothers Yifan even more than he does, the omega's own mate. "He's going to be a great mother one day." Luhan had said.

It was Jongin who occupied Kyungsoo's thoughts one night, the half moon high in the sky as he slowly made his way back to camp. Yixing had just relieved him of sentry duty, and the alpha was taking his time getting back home, enjoying the quiet night under the stars. He didn't know what force guided his feet towards the hot spring, but when Kyungsoo looked up, he was just at the edge of the treeline, hidden by shadow, looking out towards the spring, where he could see the omegas bathing.

Kyungsoo could just walk forward, join them even, but something made him stay where he was hidden. He watched as the omegas, Baekhyun, Yifan, and Jongin, quietly giggled as they chatted. Yifan's belly poked up from the surface, half submerged, and the omega was rubbing it fondly. Baekhyun was talking animatedly, arms waving around. Jongin was off to one side, standing with his back to Kyungsoo, cupping the water and letting it fall over his body. The moonlight shone, Jongin's wet skin reflecting its silvery rays in a way that made him seem ethereal. How could someone so beautiful be even real, Kyungsoo found himself thinking. Just then, his inner wolf growled loudly, lunging for the omega his eyes were on. Surprised, it was all Kyungsoo could do to suppress his urge to jump forward and claim. Clutching his chest, Kyungsoo panted raggedly, hunched over as he got control of himself. 

Sweat dripped down his face and dried before Kyungsoo was calm again, and when he straightened up, Luhan was standing there.

"Jeez, fucking hell, Luhan!" Kyungsoo jumped back in surprise, hissing with a glare.

The elder alpha just smirked, giving Kyungsoo a knowing smile. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you were practically panting for our Jongin." Luhan put his hands on his hips, "But you better get out of here if you don't want to look like some pervert." Kyungsoo growled at that, but Luhan kept talking, ignoring him, "You know how Jongin is around alphas. He's barely warmed up to me in the past month, and that's only because he's been sleeping in my tent with Yifan this whole time."

Kyungsoo gritted his teeth and refused to look Luhan in the eye, but he knew he was right. Nodding, he turned on his heel and fled.

======================

It was stifling.

Muggy.

Itchy.

Uncomfortable.

Painful.

Jongin was disoriented when he woke up a few days later. He rolled over, yelping when he rolled onto his throbbing erection. Whining, he lifted his blanket, his breathing coming in shallow pants as he took in the state of his body. He was covered in sweat, slippery and itchy. He could feel his hole pulse and slick slowly oozing out, forming a thick puddle under him.

And it was so hot.

He felt like screaming.

So he did.

Jongin screamed and screamed until his throat was raw. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, and his screams turned to sobs.

Suddenly, there were rough hands pushing him down, and a huge, thick mass forcing its way inside of him.

Jongin screamed.

But no sound came out.

Jongin struggled. He scratched. He wailed. He pushed. He kicked. But nothing he did stopped the knot from growing inside him.

It didn't stop growing.

It wasn't going to stop.

It was going to rip him apart!

"JONGIN!"

With a scream, Jongin jolted awake, sitting up in a flurry of panicked flailing arms, fists aimed at the one who was violating him.

Large hands gripped his wrists tightly, making him stop, and finally, Jongin realized where he was.

Yifan was holding him still, eyes wide with alarm. Luhan was behind him, looking equally as concerned.

"Shh, baby. It was just a dream, Jongin, it wasn't real," Yifan said gently, loosening his grip on Jongin's wrists.

Jongin shook, looking so lost.

His lips quivered, and he slowly burst into tears, sobs wracking his frame as he clamored forward into Yifan's arms. "H-He came back! He made me do it again! I-I was in heat and he--" Jongin's words cut off from another sob, and he wailed, shaking as he buried his face in Yifan's neck.

Yifan frowned worriedly, exchanging a glance with his mate. Luhan nodded, gently pulling Jongin between them where the mated could could surround the boy from both sides.

"He won't do that to you ever again." Yifan whispered as he rubbed Jongin's back.

"We're here, Jongin. We're not going anywhere," Luhan cooed gently as he stroked the boy's hair. The couple covered Jongin with soft kisses until he was calmed into a fitful sleep.

Yifan looked at Luhan, tears gathering in his own eyes, "He's in so much pain..." his voice broke, and his tears silently fell. "Almost every night this happens..."

Luhan's face held sorrow, and he pulled the two omegas closer, "All we can do is be here for him, baby..."

His mate nodded, and together, they fell back asleep. Tangled together, the three of them, a makeshift family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cross posted on aff*


End file.
